Seven Months
by MichaelCross
Summary: Sousuke and Kaname prepare for the birth of their son. Second prequel to 'Specialist and Schoolgirl'. Rated for language and material.
1. Summer in Middleton Month 3

Seven Months

Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Panic, Kim Possible or Street Hawk. Wish I did though.

Author's Note: Here's the second prequel for 'Specialist and the Schoolgirl'. This picks up right where it left off at in the story 'Thunderbird Wedding'. Each chapter will be a month remaining on Sousuke and Kaname's preparation for parenthood. Also, at the end of each chapter after this one, they'll be hearing from their Team Hawk friends. Enjoy.

Summer in Middleton: Month 3

"TWEEBS!"

Kim Stoppable and the others arrive at the Possible house and find it still standing, surprisingly enough. The only thing out of the ordinary is the massive billow of smoke coming from the upper rooms. On the front lawn are Nana Possible, the tweebs and the soundly sleeping triplets. The tweebs are heavily coated in soot, having been in their lab at the time of the blast.

All through the drive, Kim kept wringing her hands together, hoping that the triplets and the tweebs were all right along with Nana. Behind the wheel, Ron grasped his wife's hand with his right and softly ran his fingers along hers. Kim weakly smiled in thanks for Ron's support.

The Drs. Possible were at their work places when they heard the explosion and felt the rumble in the ground. Realizing what had happened, James called Amanda to let her know he'd be picking her up. Upon arrival, they see the others, get out of their Jaguar and go right to Nana's side, arriving in time for her chewing out the tweebs.

"I swear, you boys will be the deaths of your parents or maybe even the world. Need I mention your nephews and niece? What were you thinking?"

"Sorry, Nana."

"But we were working on a new fuel mixture and were testing it."

"When it blew up in our faces." Both twins finished it at the same time and are now awaiting their punishment from their parents.

James Possible can't quite conceal a smile at the sight of his sons' forlorn faces as he asks, "What have I told you about fuel experiments in the house, boys?"

In a soft, forlorn tone, they reply, "Not to do it without supervision."

"Then why did you two experiment without me there to check your calculations?"

"Well, we didn't know when the wedding would end."

"So we thought we'd do some extra legwork just to be sure."

"That's when it blew up."

Kurz Weber, getting to be really annoyed, grasps his head and says, "This finishing each others' sentences is really unnerving! If my mind winds up as scrambled eggs, I'm cursing your descendants!"

"Watch it, Sgt. Weber! Be it as it may, twins usually wind up finishing each others' thoughts and sentences. Lest you forget, I have an older brother. Sometimes, we'd do the same thing." Teletha Testarossa gasps as she realizes her error in using Kurz's rank, as they are supposed to be undercover.

Sousuke Sagara spotted it as well and elects to move forward. "The convention Captain is correct, Sgt. Weber! So watch what you say from here on out. Is that clear, Sgt. Weber?"

Kurz lets a wry grin escape before replying, "Yes, Lieutenant Sagara!" He then assumes a rim-rod stance and salutes Sousuke, given his rank. 'Way to cover Tessa, Sousuke. You'll make a fine Officer yet.'

"Hicka-bicka-boo?"

"Hoo-sha!" The tweebs then come forward to greet the new arrivals. Instead, they get a hard glare from 'Lieutenant Sagara' and notice that his eyes are the color of steel.

"As for you two. Have you ever considered a safer hobby? Like fishing or video games? Reading books is pretty safe as well."

"Well, we do use video games."

"But only for parts when it comes to our mechanical projects."

Sousuke looks over at Kim for verification. "That's right. What you see is what happens when a brain surgeon and a rocket scientist reproduce. Of course, they got me as well. But I think I'm a lot less destructive."

James then grins and says, "Actually, Kimmie-cub, you were very 'high-spirited' and 'rambunctious'. No babysitter could ever handle you." Kim's jaw drops in shock as she looks over at her little brothers. She then looks at the still-sleeping triplets and softly smiles.

"We so rock, Ron. Like our children do and will." Ron comes up behind her and wraps her in his arms from behind.

"You bet we and they do, KP. Our incoming children and they will definitely overpower anyone unlucky enough to babysit them." He then laughs his most sinister laugh, with Kim joining him. Kissing her, he gently rubs her stomach, not quite oblivious to the scene around him.

Both tweebs yell out, "Major cootie alert! Kim's Frenching her husband while getting her belly rubbed and liking it! Eeewww."

Kim comes out of the kiss, smiles at them and says, "It'll happen to you guys sooner or later." She then scowls and says, "If you endanger the triplets again, Heaven help you." Both tweebs nod, knowing that Kim is like a lioness when it comes to their nephews and niece.

Both twins bow their heads down and say, at the same time, "Sorry, Kim."

Kim can't stand their forlorn looks any longer. She bends down, ruffles their hair and says, "Next time, wait for Dad to get home before you do your experiments. He's the expert. Next time, you might not be so lucky. Mom and Dad wouldn't want to lose you. Neither would I, guys. So please, no more unsupervised experiments. Deal?"

"Hicka-bicka-boo?"

"Hoo-sha!"

The tweebs embrace Kim and, at the same time, say, "It's a deal, sis!"

Kim smiles and says, "Good work, boys." The tweebs then break away from Kim's embrace and go to their parents' waiting arms. "Just gotta know how to talk to them at times."

Kaname Chidori smirks at that and says, "Usually, I just use a halisen whenever Sousuke does one of his detonations at school."

That gets everyone's attention, with the tweebs the most attentive.

"Detonations at school?" James Possible is curious about that as he turns his head Kaname's way.

"Yeah, about that. You see, Sousuke had been raised in various hot zones all over the world. It's where he had picked up his otaku habits from. Be it from using high-yield explosives to firing firearms in closed quarters. Ever since we met, my life has never been the same, and it's only getting better each day."

Amanda gasps as she asks, "He does all that at school? That's hardly normal behavior, even for a youth suffering from Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder."

"That's because he's usually a little busy doing the Traumatic-Stress number on the others. Be it gang toughs or other classmates. One of our former teachers even fell victim to this maniac's graceful antics." Kaname is oblivious to Shunya's cut sign as she goes on.

"One day, he fired a gun into the air and demanded a plain roll. He then leveled his gun at the others and warned that he will shoot unless he had gotten the roll. Needless to say, the other students panicked and trampled the lunch ladies. Even the bakers were trampled. In any case, we were appointed to serve lunch for the next week while the bakers recovered."

"What happened then?" James is morbidly fascinated by the tale, as are the tweebs. Surprisingly enough, the others are deeply interested as well.

"Our gym teacher, Mr. Kogure, wasn't happy with the situation. He yelled at Sousuke and told him that he'll get him. This maniac here told him that he was looking forward to it. He then explained to me that he was behaving like a drill sergeant, the perfect way for a Military nut to think. The next day, Sousuke felt that someone would try to steal the bread, so he set a high-voltage trap in one of the bread baskets."

Bonnie Rockwaller grins and says, "Here it comes."

"Mr. Kogure was intent on putting grasshopper legs on the bread to sabotage our efforts. When he grabbed the cover, he literally got the shock of his life!" Kaname can't help but laugh as she thinks about the incident. As she calms herself down, she sees that the others were chuckling as well. Even Sousuke was with a proud grin on his face.

"Mr. Kogure was then taken to the Hospital. Of course, I wasn't happy with Sousuke at the time. I mean, he could have killed Mr. Kogure with that trap. The next day, Mr. Kogure was somewhat prepared. He was wearing rubber gloves when he removed the sheet. This time, he was intent on putting laxative on the bread."

Amanda gasps as she says, "That's unethical. Laxative on bread could be bad for people's general health. They wouldn't have time to absorb the nutrients a body needs to sustain life. What was the trap that time?"

Kaname smirks as she replies, "Tear gas, rigged to go off when the sheet was removed. Once again, Mr. Kogure had gotten caught in one of my maniac's delightful traps." She then blushes at what she had just said. 'My maniac. I like that.' Shaking her head, she goes on.

"Once again, I wasn't happy with him. The next day, Mr. Kogure went all out. Hard hat, shades, gas mask, vest and rubber gloves. When he removed the sheet, nothing happened. He then proceeded to stick needles into the rolls. Unknown to him, however, the Principal was right behind him. My guess is that she was curious as to why Mr. Kogure was going to the Hospital so much in the last two days and felt she should stake out the area."

Her face then blushes as she thinks, 'I am talking like Sousuke now. Stake out and everything he'd usually associate with surveillance.'

James grins and says, "The ultimate trap is one that is not set up. Trapping 101." He then gets curious and asks, "How did you find out about that, Kaname?"

"The Principal told us after our job as food vendors ended. Mr. Kogure had told her everything about what he had done before he was sent to the mental institute. In a way, Sousuke saved more lives with his two traps alone. I mean, if Mr. Kogure had gotten any of that stuff into the bread, someone might have gotten hurt, or maybe even killed."

"Yeah, that's Sousuke for you. Always going the extra mile to ensure everyone is kept safe, even if it means getting someone ensnared into one of his traps. Mr. Kogure sounds like he's bad news." Kurz gets a wry chuckle out from Melissa's comment. "Besides, it certainly wouldn't warrant the use of a land mine in the bread trays. But, with Sousuke, you never really know." Thinking fast, she then asks, "How much ordnance do you have remaining, Sousuke?"

"I still have 9 wedges of C-4, 10 Claymore mines, detonator switch, detonation cord spool with 19 blasting caps, 9 fragmentation grenades, 10 concussion grenades, the TNT sticks and bottle of Nitroglycerin. Small arms consists of my Glock, magazines for same, Steyr SPP, magazines, M-16A2 rifle with M-203 grenade launcher, magazines and five 40mm grenades, Franchi SPAS-15, 85 shells of 12 gauge. That is all, Melissa." He then looks around and sees the faces of his friends' parents and Nana's face pale. "Oh no. Not good!"

Nana shakes her head and says, "It's not that, dearie. It's just that you are so young. You shouldn't have all that equipment all the time. Wouldn't you agree, Andrei?" At that, everyone, except for Nana and Kalinin, drops their jaws in shock. "Andrei Sergeivich Kalinin, you certainly don't look any worse for wear. The years have been good to you."

"You as well, Marion. It's good to see your fighting spirit has been inherited by your grand-daughter and her husband." He then turns to Kim, who has just now gotten her jaw off of the ground, and says, "Your Grandmother even trained with me for a time at the Spetsnaz facility. Of course, you wouldn't find that in her file. She was very formidable opponent. It'd be my luck if she still is. I'd prefer not finding out, as those that underestimate her often get hurt, very badly."

Nana chuckles slightly and says, "I only go easy on family. Kimberly's no different. She has skills that are only unmatched by myself and Sheila. I'm glad that Sheila's on the right side again. The world needs more people like these. Kimberly, Ronald and Sheila." That has all three blushing as Nana goes on. "Of course, more people like Sousuke may not be a bad thing exactly. No doubt, with his skills, he'd make an excellent disciplinarian."

Now it's Kaname's turn for her face to pale as she thinks about Sousuke and his idea of discipline.

"_You little rugrat! I've got seven days to transform you into a well-disciplined student! So by this time next week, you'll be fully prepared to tackle your schoolwork!" _

"_Sousuke! He's only five years old!" _

"_Kaname, his first day was a disaster. He was sent home for a week. He couldn't even make any new friends because the other kids considered him to be weak. Even the teachers said that much. You know what happened to the last teacher that called our son weak." _

"_Yeah, I do Sousuke. That teacher wound up stepping on a land-mine on her way to her car! How do you justify that, you maniac? You're lucky she wasn't killed, only got stuck to the ground. The adhesive held up very well, though. It was even pretty damn funny come to think of it." _

Kaname shakes herself out of it, only to see Nana Possible staring her right in the face. Sheepishly smiling, she laughs a nervous laugh, only for it to fade when she sees Nana's eyes narrow.

"Easy, Marion. Miss Chidori is with child."

Nana smiles softly at Kaname and says, "Believe it or not, Kaname, Andrei and I are old friends. So, here's the deal. You think about Sousuke's idea of discipline a little more and I'll wait until after the little one is born to show you my moves. Sousuke, I expect you to keep her and the child safe the whole time, and even more afterward. If not, you'll be facing against me in one-on-one hand-to-hand combat. Of course, I could use a work-out right now. Watching Jim and Tim is one thing. But Julie, Andrew and Edward? They can drive someone up the wall when they get older. Just like a little, red-headed, pig-tailed girl I know used to do until she started babysitting at fourteen."

"Nana!" Kim can't help but blush at her outburst. What's even more, Nana goes on.

"Ronald was certainly no different. He'd always sleep over during the weekends, on the floor beside Kimberly's bed. He always felt he had to protect Kimberly. Just like a German Shepherd. At only five years old, too." That has Ron blush as well as he wraps Kim in his arms.

At that, Bonnie nods in agreement, knowing full well what Nana had meant by it. "That's right. They were always together, even as little kids. Need I mention just how cute they looked together at that age? I always figured those two would wind up together and have beautiful children. Even when I was nasty toward them, I felt there was something special about them." She is then surprised when she feels Kim's arms around her, along with Ron's.

"Bonnie, that so hurricane rocked!" Bonnie laughs at Ron's wording before he goes on. "I guess that chew-job I did on you helped after all."

"Yeah, it did, Ron. Once again, you rock, Ron. Very, very hard." She then turns to Kim and says, "We better get going. Mother hasn't been feeling well, so she's been at the mansion watching the twins." Sousuke's ears perk at the word 'mansion' and he turns to Kaname with a fearsome glint in his eyes and a wildly feral grin on his face.

"No, Sousuke. No, no, no. You'll not be planning home security for Bonnie's Mother."

"I must at least give an opinion. Consider it exploration of a new career." He turns to Bonnie and Hirotaka, saying, "Ready when you are, Mr. and Mrs. Rockwaller." Bonnie grins in gratitude at Sousuke's offer and guides him to their sports car. She then holds up her hands in a waiting gesture for Kaname.

"I guess I better. Who knows what that maniac might recommend for the mansion?" She then steps over to the car and whispers to Bonnie, "Just so you know. I'm only doing this to be sure no one gets hurt."

"I realized as much. After all, Sousuke may be a soldier, but he's also unpredictable. With your presence there, the mansion just might survive. Especially given Sousuke's method of appraisals of threat assessments and weak points. Kalinin had shown me Sousuke's file." She then shudders as she adds, "His skills are admirable, as are his perception and reflexes. But, his common sense level leaves something to be desired."

Kaname laughs softly as she says, "Yeah. At least he's trying though. Awkward is it is, he's trying." Bonnie can only giggle in agreement as she closes the door after Kaname gets in. At that, the group leaves the Possible residence and head for the Rockwaller family mansion. At the same time, Kim and Ron leave, saying they have to go see someone.

Upon arrival, Sousuke sees two key points that use some 'hardware' and 'upgrading' from the driveway alone. Even the driveway could use some 'hardware' just from being on it. When he looks at the house, he determines that .50 caliber machine guns on the side brick walls would provide ample suppressive fire against hostile intruders. In the yard, concussion and anti-personnel mines spaced out by fifteen feet, parallel to each other, would be effective in warding off the same.

Kaname examines the house and sees a five-story structure, brick-construction with white window-shutters at the sides of the windows. Also outside is a woman with curly brown hair with a medium frame, watching over two infants with showings of brown hair.

"Oh Bon-Bon! You brought guests. Oh no!" Judith Rockwaller suddenly lets out a massive sneeze and smiles sheepishly. "Sorry about that, dears. How'd the wedding go? It's too bad I couldn't make it to see my eldest daughters get married."

"It went fine, Mom. In any case, this is Sousuke Sagara and his Fiancee, Kaname Chidori. Sousuke and Kaname, this is my Mother. Judith Rockwaller."

"It's nice to meet you, Sousuke and Kaname. Oh, you poor dear. You have a nasty scar on your face. What happened to you?"

"An Afghani rebel leader dragged his knife across my cheek in a cross fashion. However, I've come to accept it as part of me. It's not a problem."

"Didn't your parents object to that? Where are they anyway? I'd like to meet them."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Mrs. Rockwaller. Sousuke's an orphan. His parents died when he was eight years old. Ever since then, he's moved around, just trying to survive. When he took up with the Afghani rebels, he learned various battle tactics and was abused at the same time." Judith gasps at Sousuke's nod of agreement at Kaname's testament.

"Are they alive still? I'd like to write a book on their atrocities to go alongside my book on atrocities by the Soviets." At Sousuke's puzzled look, she goes on. "I wasn't always Judith Rockwaller. I was once a writer in Los Angeles. I wrote a book exposing a murderer at a local college there."

Kaname smiles and says, "Street Hawk saved your life once. Didn't he?"

"Yep. The original one, anyway." Judith remembers what Bonnie had told her about her other identity and elects to keep it classified, not wanting her daughter, son-in-law or grandchildren coming to harm at all.

Sousuke then says, "Mrs. Rockwaller, the Afghani rebels I took up with are dead. Their camp in Helmajistan was destroyed by two RK-92 Arm Slaves. However, I can tell you a bit about my skills. For example, your driveway could use electronically-controlled treadles embedded into the pavement. If any vehicle you do not recognize drives up, you can activate the treadles and disable the vehicle. If you're away from home, a laser grid around the perimeter will act in your place. Any vehicle breaks the beam, the tires get destroyed. At the same time, Police will be notified about the intrusion of the perimeter or treadle activation. The yard can be defended by both concussive and anti-personnel land mines. .50 caliber machine guns on your windowsills will lay down suppressive fire, should any intruder come up to be armed and/or extremely hostile."

Judith blinks unbelievably at the scar-faced young man before her. She then smiles and says, "That's pretty funny. A teen raised, trained and abused by Afghani rebels being an expert on home security." Judith starts laughing, only for it to fade when she sees Kaname scowling.

"Sousuke may be a teen still, but he's also very good and knowledgeable about what he's talking about. If you had seen the things I have, just by being around him, you'd see that there is more to him than meets the eye."

"It's all right, Kaname. It was merely my opinion regarding her home's security measures. She is not obligated to follow my advice. However, I would be disappointed if she were to ignore it completely, given my otaku habits." Kaname slumps her head in agreement, knowing that the Mithril soldier has a valid point. His cover must remain intact so the organization can stay secretive.

Judith looks at Bonnie and Hirotaka. She then gasps at the looks on their faces as they watch over their twins. Soft, warm and proud. Just like the day they were born.

Feeling a desire to help protect them, she says, "Okay. Say I were to use some ideas. The treadles would be a nice touch, along with the concussion mines. I just don't want anyone dying on my family's grounds at all."

Now curious, she asks, "Just where did you get your schooling from regarding home security, Sousuke?"

"You might say I did some climbing to get my expertise." Kaname giggles then laughs at the memory of Sousuke scaling a cliff just to get to her position inside a massive mansion. His concern for her was evident on that day, even though he didn't show his reaction to her new white bikini that day.

She then sees Judith looking at her strangely and elects to cover her tracks. "He is always going to new heights associated with getting his skills. He even faced off against a trio of bodyguards as well. These guys served with the French Foreign Legion, no less."

Bonnie then cuts in before more is said. "In any case, Sousuke and Kaname, Hirotaka and I would like you to meet our twins. Ron and Kim Rockwaller. Here, you two could use some practice. Sousuke, take Ron while Kaname takes Kim." A very uneasy Sousuke and an equally ecstatic Kaname take hold of the infants, both mindful of the tiny bodies within their arms.

Kaname looks down at Kim's tiny face and smiles softly, eager to see their own son come into the world. Meanwhile, Sousuke is visibly sweating, as he was not trained to handle children with the utmost care. Getting a brainstorm, he then elects to treat the child in his arms like a highly-sensitive explosive. Slightly shifting his arms, he finds a comfortable position. He is now holding Ron in an upright position with his left hand behind Ron's head, supporting it's weight, while his right hand is on Ron's bottom.

Surprisingly enough, Ron doesn't even cry out in protest. Instead, he just smiles and giggles at the scar-faced man holding him.

"What's so funny? You like this, little fella? Very well, I'll save the information for later. It's not a problem."

Bonnie smiles and says, "I never thought I'd see this. A hard-core otaku being a natural at handling a child. Maybe there's hope after all." Kaname nods in agreement as she sticks her finger into Kim's mouth after getting an insistent tug from the tyke.

"Well, that's Sousuke for you. He's capable of pulling off surprises and the most impossible things at times. I guess you might even say we surprise each other at times. He's certainly come a long way, Bonnie."

Both Bonnie and Hirotaka nod in agreement as Judith comes up with an idea of taking a picture. She then goes inside and gets a Polaroid instant camera. Coming back out, she is relieved to see both teens holding her grandchildren still.

"Smile, say cheese!" Next thing both teens know, Judith has snapped a shot of the both of them. "We'll just wait for this one to develop. Bon-Bon, why don't you take the kids inside. I'm going to stay out here before I come inside and get to know our visitors some more."

"Sure, Mom. Come on, honey. Let's take them in." She then walks over to Kaname and smiles at the sight. Kaname with a soft smile on her face, with Kim's mouth around her finger still.

"Kaname, you'll definitely make a wonderful Mother. You're a natural as well. Strange thing is, she doesn't usually take to strangers. Oh well. Is Kimmie-kins ready for her nappy-nap? Come to Mommy, Kimmie."

Kaname softly hands Kim over to Bonnie while Sousuke hands Ron to Hirotaka, a highly befuddled look on his face. Hirotaka then bows to both teens, with them returning the bow, before going in behind Bonnie.

Kaname softly asks, "You okay, Sousuke?"

"Affirmative. It's just that I've never done that before. At all, Kaname. Strange thing is, I enjoyed it. Do you think I'm going soft? Could this have to do with impending parenthood?"

"I don't think you're going soft, Sousuke. You're starting to become a human again. When I first met you, you were an awkward Military machine. Like a 'Terminator', only you hadn't been in a peaceful setting before. This is so new for you and it's scaring you to death. Sure, impending parenthood has something to do with it, but, you're still human, Sousuke. Your natural instincts are starting to emerge. Underneath all that training, there beats a proud heart of a Father-to-be. Just like, under all this fire within me, there's a proud heart of a Mother-to-be. I'm proud to have fallen in love with you and having our child. Only, this one will have the childhood you were so cruelly denied."

With tears falling from her brown eyes, she wraps the Mithril soldier into her arms and kisses him softly. Suddenly, she feels a familiar twinge and bolts away from him, only to vomit on the lawn.

"Kaname, are you all right?" Sousuke gets to her side and helps her up, very gently.

"Yeah, I'm okay, Sousuke. It's part of pregnancy on the part of the expectant Mother. Morning sickness, only it happens in the afternoon as well. I needn't say anything further, do I?"

"Negative, Kaname. As long as you're all right, it's not a problem." Kaname can't help but giggle at her beau's wording and leans over to kiss him.

"I'll never get tired of hearing you say that, Sousuke. In a way, it reassures me that everything is going to be all right. Just like you always make bad situations get better after you make them worse, you delightfully wonderful Military maniac." She then tilts her head all the way back and kisses him passionately, with him rubbing her belly. Judith smiles in the background and snaps another picture.

That night, Judith gets more background on her guests while Bonnie and Hirotaka are feeding the twins. To say that she finds Sousuke's whole story to be horrific would be an understatement. Combine that with Kaname's life before meeting Sousuke made it sound so very lonely. She even said as much to the both of them.

"Let me see if I got this straight. Your parents were killed in front of you by Soviet troops. You were then taken in by Afghani rebels that shortly afterward scarred your face, permanently. You learned all kinds of survival and combat skills, only to go to Japan years later and turn Kaname's world upside down. Meanwhile, Kaname lost her Mother to Cancer. A young teenage girl, living alone in Japan. Highly vocal and active in sports. So vocal, people resented her for it. Prompting her to consider suicide at one point. Then, she meets the one boy that both turns her world upside-down and awakens a passion within her. Does that sound about right?"

"Yep, pretty much, Mrs. Rockwaller. Of course, I always have to duck in cover anytime Sousuke does his demolitions work. All because he feels that someone is always trying to kill him with a bomb in his shoe locker. When he first started doing that in the high school, it was a cry for help from a young boy trying to make sense of the world around him. After all, we're talking about a young man that has been in various hot zones all over the world."

Judith's jaw drops as she says, "I can't believe you managed to survive all of that insanity, Sousuke. Are you the last Sagara?"

"Negative, Mrs. Rockwaller. I have an older cousin that looks just like me. The only way to tell us apart now is my scar. Now, there's going to be a Sousuke Jr., coming in the next seven months." He then reaches over and takes Kaname's hand, adding, "With her around, I can do just about anything."

Bonnie snorts and laughs, saying, "Just like Kim and Ron back in their day. With Ron around, she can do anything. Just like these little ones along with Kim and Ron's will. We're going to be sure that they have solid friendships with each other. No matter what we or they come up against, where or who. These friendships will bloom and thrive, like mine did with Kim and Ron. Albeit slightly delayed, but bloomed and is thriving nonetheless."

Judith smiles and says, "If only your Father could see you now. He'd have a heart attack, stroke and lose both bowel and bladder control. All at the same time."

"Mom! Too much info!" Bonnie cringes in disgust as she thinks about it and then smiles wickedly, her barracuda smile arising. Suddenly, she yawns and says, "I don't know about you, but I'm ready for bed. How about Mommy's babies? Are you ready for bed, too? Come on, let's go night-night. Yes." As Bonnie and Hirotaka go upstairs, they are both cooing at their infants, with Bonnie doing the most cooing.

Judith smiles at Bonnie's antics and softly says, "She has certainly made a lot of progress in her friendship with Kim and Ron. The day she came home from school as a little girl was the worst day in her life, at least in her words. She told me that she wanted to be friends with them, but her Father wouldn't let her. He felt that rich people should only have rich friends, not those in Middle-Class neighborhoods. That's what started our nightly arguments with each other. One night, he never came home from his office job."

Kaname puts it together and says, "He abandoned you, Lonnie, Connie and Bonnie." At Judith's nod, she goes on. "Why did he leave you guys behind?"

"I don't really know, Kaname. I'll tell you one thing though. If I ever saw him again, I'd rub their pictures in his face and taunt him mercilessly. A fair payback, I believe, for ditching us and making Bon-Bon so cold and bitter toward others. Believe it or not, her elder sisters even loved her at one point. But, when their Father left, they blamed Bonnie for it. That fueled her bitterness even more."

Sousuke then clears his throat and says, "I know some people with resources that are pretty much unheard of. If you were interested, I could put in a query as to his location so you can perform a retaliatory strike. Be it with nuclear warheads or court papers." At Judith's dropped jaw expression, he smiles and adds, "Very well. We'll just stick with the court papers unless he's in a deserted area. Then we can use nuclear warheads."

"Sousuke! No talk of nuclear warheads being used against deadbeat parents! Although, that idea does have some appeal." Kaname can't help but throw her arms around Sousuke's neck and kisses him, a bright smile on her face.

"I can't believe I'm hearing discussion of using nuclear warheads against my wayward husband. Kaname, please tell me he's joking."

"Mrs. Rockwaller, it is never a good idea to joke about using nuclear warheads against another person. It's serious when it comes to matters like that. Just like when I offered Kaname a nuclear warhead for her thoughts." That has Kaname's eyes bulging out and her wildly laughing.

"A nuclear warhead for her thoughts? Now I've heard everything." At that, Judith yawns, giggles and says, "Look at the time. I suggest we get to bed so you guys can go shopping together tomorrow. Sousuke, did you get her ring yet?"

"Negative. I think I'll make that one of my stops tomorrow during our shopping recon. No doubt, I could find a custom shop that specializes in custom rings."

"Well, Middleton Jewelers has a custom section inside. You might just find what you're looking for."

Kaname chuckles weakly and says, "Somehow, I don't think they'd have what Sousuke has in mind. But, like the saying goes, 'You never know what you'll find until you do'. The same will probably go the same for Sousuke."

At that, Judith guides Sousuke and Kaname to their room, especially since Kaname had requested that Sousuke be in the same room with her. Even though she found it odd, Judith agreed after seeing the warm smile on Kaname's face as she stroked her belly.

As they turn in, Sousuke strips down to his tank top and shorts while Kaname gets down to her bra and panties. They both get into the bed together and just cuddle with each other.

"Good night, Kaname."

"Night, Sousuke. I love you, you big goofball."

"I love you, too, you fiery spirit." He then kisses her cheek and she pulls herself closer into his side.

As she dozes off, she softly says, "Good night kisses are the best. Especially with you, Sousuke."

"Hmm. Affirmative." That night, Sousuke and Kaname just hold each other close, soft smiles on their faces.

The next morning, Kaname opens her eyes and smiles at the sleeping form beside her. Suddenly, she feels a squeeze on one of her breasts. Evidently, Sousuke was sleep-wandering with his hand and had it wind up on there. Kaname blushes and smiles even bigger as she softly kisses his forehead.

Sousuke opens his eyes at the contact and sees a blue-haired, brown-eyed angel smiling at him. He then feels a familiar shape and looks at her chest. His eyes then bulge out when he sees his hand on her breast and lightly lifts it off, offering an apology.

To his surprise, she puts it back on there and smiles, saying, "We're going to be together. So we might as well get used to these occurrences, Sousuke. Let no one tell you any different, Sousuke. You are so cute when you get flustered like that. I don't know about you, but I'm ready to go shopping. How about you?"

"Affirmative. I think I'll swing by the jewelers that Mrs. Rockwaller told us about. I have an idea for a custom design if they don't already have one."

"Nothing weird or dangerous, is it?"

"Neither, Kaname. Just unique and unusual."

"Just like you, Sousuke. Uh, you can take your hand off my breast now." She giggles as Sousuke springs his hand up off of her breast and blushes at the same time. "We got plenty of time for when we move in together, Sousuke. Big question is, where do we live?"

"I have enough in my account to buy a massive house, Kaname. But, I think we should start small. Maybe a two bedroom to three bedroom house, were we to add on to the family. Or I do something idiotic." Kaname can only giggle as she gets her clothes on, with Sousuke right behind her.

"Sousuke, you've evolved quite a bit in the past year. Only thing we need to work on now is your moodiness. The loss of your parents still hurts you, doesn't it? That's why you're still somewhat gloomy."

"Affirmative. But, if I can save parents of other children, that at least would spare them the loneliness I had as a child. Even with Zaied as my friend, it was pretty lonely. When our camp was attacked, it was by sheer luck I was out spying. Otherwise..."

"Say no more, Sousuke. I get your meaning. If I had met you when my Mom died, I wouldn't even have thought about killing myself later on. However, if you hadn't come into my life when you did, there's an extremely high chance that the world would have been destroyed had my knowledge been gained."

At that, both teens finish dressing and go to the living room, arm in arm. When they get there, they see Bonnie and Hirotaka smiling at the twins.

"Morning, Bonnie and Hirotaka. Sousuke and I are ready when you are." Bonnie nods as does Hirotaka. At that, the two couples leave the mansion and get into the sports car.

Their destination for the day? A new store that just opened up named 'Infants R Us'. Upon arrival, they see the Stoppables' Hummer H2 in the parking lot, with Ron behind the wheel and Kim right beside him. Right beside the Hummer is Felix's wheelchair, along with Felix and Tara in Felix's lap.

Only now does Sousuke take notice of the wheelchair, as it does not match any of the models he's familiar with. Not even with the Mithril Hospitals. He then elects to ask Felix about it.

"Oh, it's a cyber-robotic wheelchair. My Mom made it for me. Only been repaired once. I'm sure you can guess who it resulted from."

"The drunk driver."

"That's right, Sousuke. Well, I'll save that story for later. Shall we go in?"

Ron then grins and says, "Sousuke, zero body count."

"Roger."

"Sousuke, I heard about your reputation through Kim and Ron. I hope you're not planning any demolition work. This is a new store that just opened up and we might like to return here someday for things for our grandchildren."

"Negative, Mrs. Renton. All my remaining equipment should be with my 'foster' family by now. All I have on me right now is a concussion grenade and my Glock, loaded with rubber bullets. Undoubtedly, Mr. Chidori has handed the remainder of my equipment over to them to ensure I do not succumb to the desire to do serious mayhem during the remainder of our vacation."

"What kind of family is it, Sousuke? I've never heard of a foster family like that one. I mean, foster families do not normally or regularly put dangerous weapons in the hands of minors." Felix nods in agreement with Tara's question.

"You see, my foster Father, Mr. Kalinin, was with the Soviet Spetsnaz. I was with another 'foster' family at the time. I was treated poorly by them. When they died, he took me in and entrusted me with weapons, given my expertise with them. Essentially, I'm an 'Army of One', to paraphrase a slogan. Even if I'm an otaku."

Tara nods and Felix says, "That makes sense, in a way. You're kinda following in your foster Father's footsteps." At Sousuke's nod, they all go inside.

When they get to the door, the ladies head for the stuffed animals section while the guys get stuck at the door. The guys then see a stuffed-figure moving around and making a pest of himself. Some people hug him while others hit him.

"Remember, tell your parents if they love you, they'll buy you a Harry Hippo doll."

"We will. Bye Harry."

"Bye bye. Oh, hey there, fellers. How'd you like to buy some high-quality Harry toys?"

Ron smiles and replies, "No thanks. We're just trying to catch up with our better halves."

"How about a 'Harry Loves You T-Shirt'? Comes in Extra-Medium."

"Once again, no thanks."

"A Happy Hippo doll?"

Finally, Ron snaps and says, "I said no! Are you deaf and stupid? My kids think your show is bullshit and I'm inclined to agree with them!"

'Harry' lets down his eyebrows and says, "Oh. Sorry to put so much pressure on you. I take it you fellers feel the same way." At their nods, he nods and adds, "Well, no hard feelings." As they walk away from him, he says, under his breath, "You cheap shit losers."

That gets their attention and Sousuke, bringing out his Glock, asks, "Did you just say something, 'Harry'? It would be in your best interest to answer truthfully."

Ron softly says, "Sousuke, remember what I said. Zero body count."

Confused, 'Harry' asks, "Body count? What do you mean body count, you wiener-head?"

Ron then grins sadistically and says, "We're clear to engage, boys."

'Harry' is now getting nervous, seeing manic grins on the mens' faces before him. "Engage? Engage what, fellers? Fellers? Fellers?" Suddenly, they charge him. "Uh-oh."

Felix extends his wheelchairs' arms and wraps them around 'Harry's legs, tripping him in the process. Hirotaka starts kicking him in the mid-section.

"Come on, can't you do better than that, Karate boy?"

"Actually, it's ninja boy, hippo-boy. But, it's about a mile off the mark. Now, you must die."

Ron then kicks the figure right between the legs, resulting in a massive groan of pain. "Boo-yah!"

While this is going on, Kim, Tara, Kaname and Bonnie are chatting and getting along famously.

Kaname then asks, "When your children were born, was it painful?" All three nod, proud smiles on their faces.

"Since Norman was born a preemie, I had to have a C-section done. Otherwise, he wouldn't have survived. I don't even have much of a scar. Of course, being assaulted by Josh Mankey didn't help matters any." She then tells Kaname about both Felix and herself being assaulted by Josh. Needless to say, this gets Kaname's fire going with a vicious gleam in her eyes.

"Where is he now? I'd like to introduce him to my halisen."

"He's in a funny farm, right now. At least, the last we heard anyway." Bonnie nods with Kim's answer and feels that he is right where he belongs.

"Well, it's just too bad the guys can't experience what we go through during the first few months of pregnancy."

Tara grins and says, "Oh, they have sympathy pains, Kaname. It's slight compensation, but very well worth it. Besides, without the men in our lives, we'd be very lonely and bored." That has the others laughing until Bonnie sees something new.

"I've never seen that before. It's a Womrog. I guess it's a cross between a wombat and a frog." At Kim's nod, Bonnie sighs and mutters, "I should have remembered that you're a big collector of Cuddle-Buddies. Maybe about as big as that Paisley guy."

Next thing they know, they hear a giddy male voice. "Oh, it's finally come out. The Womrog. Oh, Miss Possible, how nice to see you again. Where's your friend at?"

Kim turns around to greet the eccentric collector. He had slimmed somewhat and increased his hair-mass. His oval spectacles had been replaced by square-rimmed glasses and he still has an affinity for Cuddle-Buddies.

"It's nice to see you as well, Mr. Paisley. You look great. My husband and our friends should be with us soon."

"Thank you. Oh my, congratulations on your wedding. I would have come, but there was a Cuddler Convention on your wedding day. I suppose you're wondering why I'm here today." At their nods, he goes on.

"My elder sister is having a baby shower for a friend's daughter and I thought I'd help out a little bit. Along with getting the latest Cuddle-Buddy. As to your husband and friends, I do hope they can get through the ruckus at the front door. Four men are beating up 'Harry the Hippo'. Can't say I really blame them. After all, he was trying to sell them what they weren't interested in. Ms. Possible?"

Mr. Paisley looks around and sees that he's alone, having closed his eyes as he had explained. "Huh. Maybe they know who it is and want to watch. Oh well. Come to me, Womrog."

At that point, Kim and the others are making a beeline for the front door and see the ruckus. They then see their men beating the figure senseless.

"Felix!"

"Hirotaka!"

"Ron!"

"Sousuke!"

All four had shouted at the same time, prompting their guys to turn their heads around.

The guys are now thinking, 'Not good!' As they start walking away, 'Harry' twists himself around and sees them walking away.

"Yeah, that's right. Go back to your Mommies!" Suddenly, he sees the scar-faced youth bring out a round object. "What are you doing, scar-face? Came to get some more from me?"

"Negative. I've returned to end it. Completely."

"Sousuke! Ron said zero body count!"

"Actually, Kaname, I gave him some leeway. The guy was being a jerk. Go ahead, Sousuke. Do you want us to back the crowd up?"

"Negative. It's not necessary for you to do so."

At that, Sousuke pulls out the pin on the grenade, lets the spoon fly off and stuffs the item into the figure's foam mouth before bolting away. Once he gets clear, the figure's head is blown right off, revealing a pudgy young man's face.

The young man then passes out from the force of the concussion grenade. At that moment, store security lifts the figure up off of the floor. At the same time, Kim and the others are dragging their guys out by the ears while paying for their items.

Once they get outside, however, it's a different story. The ladies are hanging off of their guys' arms, proud smiles on their faces. They even gush over what Sousuke had done at the end.

"I can't believe Sousuke used a concussion grenade like that. Have you ever done that before, Sousuke?"

"Negative, Tara. It was my first time combating a stuffed animal. However, I have fought as one myself, several times." At the others' dropped jaws of disbelieving shock, Kaname jumps in.

"That's right. The first time, he was dressed as Bonta-kun when he was watching over me. A trio of drunken Yakuza was making trouble. Needless to say, he 'Fumoffu'd their asses." That results in another blush on the somber soldier's face.

"The second time around, there was a weirdo, going around and giving girls ponytails. Without their consent and wearing a horse's head, saying 'Pony'. Needless to say, that was the weirdest encounter yet. It would have been safer if Wakana hadn't tried killing Sousuke with her weapons."

Bonnie recovers her jaw in time to ask, "Who's Wakana?"

Sousuke replies, "A highly-disturbed Police Officer. Essentially, she's a nutty whack-job." He then clears his throat and goes on. "The third time I was Bonta-kun was helping a friend of Kaname's with a problem. Her friend's family is part of the Yakuza. I prefer to not mention any names, as it would endanger her friend, needlessly. In any case, they were weak and under-powered, in danger of losing their ground to a stronger group. The intent was to give them enough strength to show their opponents they can give them a good fight."

Kaname jumps in from there. "They started getting very cocky, yet they were starting to show tremendous progress. One day, my friend and I were abducted, leaving Sousuke and some raw recruits to pull off an impossible rescue. The gang that captured us wanted to use us as bargaining chips to get the group off of their turf. However, they never counted on Bonta-kun being armed and having a S.W.A.T. unit composed entirely of Bonta-kuns. At least, that's the way they worked."

Felix grins and says, "I would have loved to have seen that. You should submit it to Police Agencies."

"Actually, I've already done so. But, sales weren't very good. Miami PD and the FBI bought some, but that was it." Bonnie ponders Sousuke's story and suddenly remembers the spot on the news.

"Fumoffu." At that, they all start laughing, Kim, Tara and Kaname laughing the lightest, not wanting to hurt the unborn children within their wombs. "Sousuke, you are definitely one of a kind!" Bonnie gasps out between giggles before letting loose another belly laugh.

When the laugh-fest is over, they all go to Bueno Nacho together. Upon arrival, Kaname and Sousuke elect to keep the promise they had made to themselves. Trying a Naco. For Kaname, her cravings have yet to begin, so she goes with a regular Naco while Sousuke does the same. Felix and Tara are at another booth, sharing a chimerrito together.

Kaname swallows after chewing and says, "These are good, Ron! How did Bueno Nacho come up with it?"

"Actually, it was my creation, Kaname." Sousuke and Kaname's jaws drop at this revelation. "I get royalty checks every six months now. A nickel for every Naco sold."

Curious, Sousuke asks, just before taking a bite out of his Naco, "How much was the most recent one?"

"Ninety-million dollars. They're very popular." Sousuke's eyes bulge out as he tries to swallow the bite.

Kaname pounds on his back while asking, "Sousuke, are you all right?"

"Affirmative, Kaname. You mean that you make more money in a year than I do? But, why fight crime?" That question was asked in a quiet whisper. "You and your family are set for life. Why not retire and enjoy life?"

Ron smiles and replies, equally quietly, "I'm like you, Sousuke. I can't stand to see bad things happen when they can be prevented. However, there does come a time when one has to admit they're starting to get too old for it. The only time I'll give it up is when Kim, Bonnie, Hirotaka and I, along with Jessica, see Norman's dream come true."

Intrigued, Kaname asks, "What's that, Ron?"

"To have a Street Hawk in every Police garage in the country. That was his dream when my predecessor was alive and still is his dream today. I have no intention of letting him down, at all. Nor do the others. They want to see their vehicles used by the Police as well. I mean, War Birds would be ideal for patrolling the skies of cities and towns. Sand Hawks on beaches of coastal cities. Every town and city Police force having a Street Hawk in their garage could cut crime down to near non-existence. Or at least to the point where criminals that are violent are kept behind bars. Right where they belong, for good. I believe in that dream too."

Bonnie smirks and says, "Same here."

Kim nods and smiles, saying, "I feel it, too."

Hirotaka grins and says, "I believe in that as well. I've served alongside them for a good while now. To say it would be declined a second time would be a travesty against all our hard work. For right now, though, we're with Global Justice. Any job they feel they can't handle, they call on us to step up to the plate."

Kaname smiles brightly and says, "Mithril's the same way. With Sousuke on the side of right, no evil shithead has a chance in hell." At the others' dropped jaw expressions, she flips her blue-hair and adds, "What can I say? Pregnancy is making me act nuts." She then sees Felix and Tara right at their sides, frowns on their faces. "Hey, you guys okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine, Kaname. After all, it's not every day you hear about Ron and the others being 'Team Hawk' and a group named 'Mithril'. Just one question, Ron-man. How long have you been doing this?"

"Two and a half years, F-dawg. Two and a half years." Suddenly, he's glomped by two mechanical arms in a crushing embrace. "Felix, air is becoming an issue."

"Oops. Sorry, Ron." At that, Felix releases Ron from his arms' grasps, allowing Tara to step forward.

"It was you that night, wasn't it, Ron?" At Ron's nod, she thinks back to the night she was attacked and came across Street Hawk for the first time.

_(Flashback) _

_Tara had finished her homework and was out getting some ice cream from a store near her house. Suddenly, two burly boys came out of the shadows, disgusting leers on their faces. One had grabbed her by the hair while the other ran his hands all over her body. Next thing she knew, there was a motorcycle with a glowing-blue nose. _

"_Too late. I'm already here." The rider spoke with a distorted voice before firing a volley of tranquilizer rounds. "Nighty-night, boys." The rider then nodded to Tara before taking off, yelling, "Hi-ho Silver, away!"_

Tara comes out of the memory, smiles at Ron and says, "Thank you. But, why were you out that night?"

"I was on a shakedown run for the cycle, just to be sure everything runs smoothly on it. I had just come off of Series Two. When I saw you being attacked, I went right to Series Three."

Bonnie cackles and adds, "Norman told him that he wasn't cleared for encounter and Ron told him that it was too late. He was already there." Tara giggles as she leans forward.

"Kim, I'm going to kiss your husband on his cheeks. You know what? There's not a damn thing you can do about it." At that, she kisses Ron on both cheeks, saying, "Thanks for saving my butt that night, Ron."

"You're welcome, Tara. I'd also thank you if you and Felix would keep this between yourselves. Surprisingly enough, Monique already knows. Of course, being Thunderbirds, you should know that secrets are important after all."

"Whoa, Ron-man, what makes you think we're Thunderbirds?"

"Monique told us that you guys along with Joss, Lonnie and Connie were Thunderbirds. In a way, we all have something in common. A common goal. Safety of the planet and it's inhabitants." Kim smiles at Felix, Tara and even Bonnie's dropped jaw expressions.

Bonnie softly smiles and says, "That's why Monique left the house that day. To work a rescue. How'd she do?"

Tara frowns and replies, "She lost a family of five. They were already dead by the time they had been found. An investigation found that their windows were slightly open while the other vehicles' were securely rolled up. Monique kicked herself all night long. Scott was the only one that gave her strength to go on with being a Thunderbird. So, Sousuke. What's it like being with Mithril? What is Mithril anyway?"

"Essentially, we're mercenaries on the side of Justice. We destroy drug factories and terrorist camps. We even do protection work on the side. We have no Nation to answer to, as it allows us to intervene in a bad situation should the need arise." He then grins and adds, "As for being with Mithril, your average Ground-pounder doesn't pull in the wages we do. But, it's not really the money. It's the action and hardware we use to get the job done."

Felix is now stumped as he asks, "How did you two meet anyway? With being a mercenary, you don't have time to go to school."

Sousuke flushes before replying, "It would be better to converse in a more private setting. It's after lunchtime and we really need to get going." His cue is subtle enough for Felix and Tara to get the hint. Matters like that are not to be discussed in a crowded restaurant.

Kim smiles as she says, "Well, the girls and I could use some time at Club Banana. Ron, why don't you take Sousuke to a jeweler's and help him see about a ring for Kaname?"

"Sound idea, KP. Sousuke, any ideas on a store in particular?"

"Affirmative. I'm quite curious as to what Middleton Jeweler's has in it's inventory." Ron nods in agreement as Felix and Hirotaka casually move away, whistling nonchalantly.

"Oh, Felix."

"Hirotaka."

"Quick, get on the back, man!"

"Right behind you, Felix-san. On board, now haul ass, man!"

At that, the wheelchair switches over to flight mode and flies away from the shop-crazy femmes within their wives. As they watch the wheelchair fly away, Tara and Bonnie pretend to pout before they start giggling.

Between giggles, Tara remarks, "He's got incredible stamina. Too bad I can't say the same for his shopping tolerance."

"I know. Hirotaka's the same way. He just doesn't understand fashion like we do. We'll just surprise them when we get home to them. I'm thinking.." She then leans over and whispers into Tara's ear, smiling massively at the bubbly blond's red face and panting breaths.

"Here's what I'm thinking for Felix." Tara whispers into Bonnie's ear, smiling when she sees the brassy brunette's reaction is the same as hers.

"They won't know what hit them!" Both woman crowed out in unison, prompting the others to look at them strangely.

Kaname turns to Kim and asks, "What was that all about?"

Kim grins as she replies, "You'll see, Kaname. Some things just aren't meant to be discussed around men. Especially ours. Right, Ron? Ron? Huh. He and Sousuke slipped away already."

"I think they are very much alike. Does Ron have any siblings?"

"No. He was an only child. When we were only friends, he was like a brother to me. To him, our friendship was all that mattered to him, since he didn't have many friends. For a long time, I was his only friend, along with Monique, Felix and Tara."

"Yeah, Bonnie told us on the sub in the tub about her rotten self in the past. It's good that she established a friendship with you guys."

"Yeah, very good. Well, let's go to Club Banana, shall we?" At the others' nods, they all pile into Bonnie's sports car, seeing as Ron and Sousuke went in the Hummer.

Upon arrival at the jewelry store, Ron and Sousuke go into the store that had only been broken into almost two months ago by an RK-92 Savage and a group of Sho-Da-Kah goons.

"Over here is the custom section. For Kim, I got a standard ring for our engagement. However, seeing as you are not quite standard, this will be more fitting for you, Sousuke."

"Understood. Let's see what we can find here." At that, both men peer into the cases. Ron sees rings for just about any taste while Sousuke sees nothing to fit both his and Kaname's.

"Can I help you, fellas?" Both men turn and see a kindly, slender Caucasian woman in a red pantsuit with long brunette hair. "Oh, Mr. Stoppable. How nice to see you again. Here shopping for your wife?"

"No, Ms. Morris. I'm just helping a friend pick out a ring for his Fiancee. Sousuke, any luck?"

"Negative, Ron. Ms. Morris, do you do custom designs?"

"Yes, of course, Mr.?"

"Sagara. Sousuke Sagara."

"Mr. Sagara. A unique name. And the lucky young lady?"

"Chidori. Kaname Chidori."

"Miss Chidori and Mr. Sagara. I can tell your rings will be quite memorable already. What did you have in mind?"

At that, Sousuke explains what he has in mind for the engagement ring for Kaname. When he's done, Ms. Morris' jaw is on the floor in stunned shock. She then collects her wits and adds up the figures.

"Here's the total for a ring of that description, Mr. Sagara. Mind you, we don't exactly get that kind of custom job order very often. Needless to say, it'll be very unique." Her hand shaking, she hands it to Sousuke and allows him to peruse it. To her shock, he smiles like a shark.

"How long would it take, Ms. Morris?"

"It would take one week, Mr. Sagara. Shall I go ahead and put the order in?"

"Affirmative. Would you like a deposit down on it?"

"Yeah, sure. Here's the amount needed for a deposit." Her hand is still shaking as she writes the amount down on the back of the receipt. To her shock, he nods and brings out his phone. Or at least something that looks like a phone.

"This is Sagara, B-3128. Requesting a monetary transfer of $5,550 into an account. Yes, I'll put you with the owner. Wait one, please." He then hands it to the woman and says, "My accountant's on the phone. He requires to know your bank account number. Or, do you prefer a check to be done?" Ms. Morris has to sit down as she puts her ear to the earpiece.

"This is Evelyn Morris. Please send a check in that amount to Middleton Jewelers." She then gives the accountant the store's address and is, in turn, informed the check will arrive the next day by courier. In stunned disbelief, she hangs up the phone and hands it back to Sousuke.

Shaking herself out of it, she says, "I better get your order processed, Mr. Sagara. If you'll wait for a few minutes, I'll get your receipt for you."

"Of course, ma'am. It's not a problem."

Ms. Morris smiles weakly as she ambles over to the store's computer and clicks on the 'Special Orders' icon. When she gets the screen, she enters the information and submits it. A confirmation slip comes out of the printer and she lightly removes it.

"Oh, the detail on one of the portions may not be precise. Will that pose a problem?"

"Negative. Like you said, ma'am, you don't get this kind of order very often. As long as it comes close to what I have in mind, it's not a problem." Ms. Morris lightly giggles as she hands the slip to Sousuke and watches him fold it precisely.

"See you next week, Mr. Sagara."

"Likewise, Ms. Morris."

At that, Sousuke and Ron leave the store, and a fainting Evelyn Morris, behind. By the time they have left the store's area, a crowd of people have swarmed over to the unconscious woman. As Ron drives the Hummer, both men see an Ambulance heading the way they had just come from.

"Hmm. I wonder what's going on back there. Maybe someone's having a heart attack."

"Possibly, Ron. Quite possibly. Are things really this hectic when you're out here as Street Hawk?"

"Sometimes yes, sometimes no. But, I'll say this much for this town. Never a dull moment. You must feel the same way, being with Mithril and all."

"Hmm. Affirmative. I've seen a thing or two, long before you and Kim started saving the world as Team Possible."

Ron grins in agreement and nods, knowing exactly what Sousuke was talking about. He then brings out his Ronnunicator, keys it up and says, "Hey, KP. What are you doing right now?"

"We're leaving Club Banana right now, Ron. Ready to head home for dinner yet? Tara and Bonnie are getting hungry, as are Kaname and I."

"Great, KP. We'll eat at the house tonight. I'm thinking Nacho Lasagna with Chocolate Torte for dessert."

"Spankin'. Oh, Kaname has something to show Sousuke. He'll see it when you guys get to the house." At that, the Ronnunicator's screen blinks out.

At the same time, Kaname grins as she looks toward Kim. "Do you think he'll like it, Kim?"

"It certainly blew Ron's mind when I wore one before we became official, Kaname. Of course, with Sousuke, it just might detonate his head."

Kaname grins as she goes back to the dressing room to put on her 'surprise' for Sousuke. "I'll just have to hope it doesn't. Sousuke blowing things up is one thing. Sousuke being blown up is an entirely different matter. If he dies, I'd be devastated." Five minutes later, Kaname and the others are on their way to the house.

When they get to the house, they see Felix and Hirotaka waiting outside, holding four bouquets of roses, all red. Hirotaka and Felix hand Ron and Sousuke a bouquet each and exchange a quick signal. Grinning massively, the guys turn toward the women in their lives and hand them to them.

When Sousuke sees Kaname, his brain freezes. Her figure is glorious, wrapped within a little black dress. Ron looks over at Kim and mouths, 'You?' over to her. At her nod and smile, he gives her a thumbs up.

"Sousuke, what do you think?"

"Uh."

"Sousuke?"

"You look incredible, Kaname. Incredibly lovely." Kaname blushes as Sousuke struggles to find the words. "This is getting to be difficult for me. I've never seen this side of you before, Kaname."

"Well, when in territory you're not familiar with, you gotta blend in. That's what you try to do, isn't it?" At Sousuke's nod, she goes on. "This is my way of blending in, Sousuke. Being in love with you is bringing out a whole new side of me. Both being in love with you and carrying our child." With that, she kisses Sousuke passionately.

The rest of the month goes by quickly for Sousuke and Kaname. One week after Sousuke's order was placed, it arrives at Middleton Jewelers. A fully recovered Evelyn Morris is looking forward to seeing Sousuke's face when he sees the ring. The craftsmen seemed to have known their stuff, as the detail on the ring was very exemplary. When Sousuke arrives with Ron, Kim and Kaname in tow, Ms. Morris smiles softly and nods, bringing the ring out with her.

Sousuke opens the lid on the box and his normally somber face is replaced by a face of proud happiness. He then brings out his sat-phone and makes the arrangements for the balance to be paid. Ms. Morris, having received the payment the day after she passed out, allows Sousuke to give the ring to Kaname. With a nod, Sousuke does so, a smile on his face as he gets onto his knee.

When he hands Kaname the box, she smiles as she opens it. Her jaw then drops as she takes in the view of the ring. A gold twin Diamond with two settings. One setting is a cherry blossom and the other is a grenade, blending both her world and Sousuke's together.

Kaname gets enough control of her voice to say, "It's beautiful, Sousuke." With tears falling from her eyes, she allows Sousuke to put the ring onto her ring finger and kisses the soldier passionately.

She then turns to Ron and asks, "You knew about this, didn't you?" At Ron's smug nod, she smiles and says, "Kim, I'm kissing your husband on his cheek. Please, allow me to do so, as I'm inviting you guys to our wedding." At Kim's smile and nod, Kaname does so, saying, "Thanks for all you do, Ron."

"It's not a problem, Kaname." Ron's remark has everyone, including Ms. Morris in stitches.

Ms. Morris then says, "This ring will definitely go down in the books as the most unusual ring in my career." With that, they wave good-bye to each other as Kim, Ron, Sousuke and Kaname leave the store and get into the H2.

As they leave the store, Kaname is looking at her ring, a proud smile on her face. Her smile then fades with a thought.

"A nuclear warhead for your thoughts, Kaname."

"Sousuke, I would like to see Yori's grave so I could tell her how much I miss her. Ron, do you know where she's buried?"

"Affirmative. If you like, I can go ahead and drive you guys there now."

"Thank you, Ron. Arigato."

"You're welcome, Kaname."

With that, he redirects the H2 to the Cemetery where Yori Ashemi had been buried for the past two years. When they get to the gravesite, Kaname sees Yori's headstone and gets out with Sousuke's help. Kim and Ron elect to stay in the H2, knowing that it'll be best for them to leave them be.

When they get to the stone, Sousuke looks over at Kaname and says, "Take as long as you need, Kaname. It's not a problem."

"Thank you, Sousuke." Sousuke nods and steps back, allowing Kaname her space. Kaname kneels down to Yori's headstone and says, "Long time, no see, Yori. Yeah, it's me. Kaname Chidori. I wish I could have gotten to see you again, at my wedding at least. That's right. I'm getting married now. He's a soldier and the Father of the baby within me. However, that's not all the story. You see, I'm 'Whispered', Yori. The soldier was originally assigned to be my protector, but we have fallen in love with each other. He's not just any soldier, but a Specialist. He's a master of various forms of combat. With that, Yori, I'd like you to meet my Fiance. Sousuke Sagara, Lieutenant of Mithril."

Sousuke steps forward, kneels down and takes Kaname into his arms, saying, "It's nice to meet you, Yori. I may not know much about life in general, but I'm learning now. I've been a warrior for so long, it's kinda hard for me to get used to this. Basically, I'm an orphan. I ran with the Afghani rebels, joined Mithril and am now Kaname's protector and Fiance. I'm a master of all forms of combat. Be it hand-to-hand combat to piloting Arm Slaves. I'll keep watching over Kaname and our son. Rest assured of that."

He then asks, "Was that appropriate, Kaname?"

"Let's see. It was your first time talking to a headstone, so I think you did a good job, Sousuke." At that, the couple gets up from the ground and walk back to the H2.

As they leave the Cemetery, they decide it'll be a good idea to go ahead and plan their departure. Shunya and Ayame had already departed three days after the wedding, with Shunya smiling proudly at his eldest daughter and her beau as they boarded the plane from Middleton back to New York. That night, Shunya called the Possible residence to let them know they had arrived without problems. That same day, Robocop, Sheila, Alexandra, James Murphy, Marishka Ovelika, Bob Norton and Luke Sagara had departed for their trip back to Detroit. They arrived safely as well.

Tessa, Kurz, Melissa and Kalinin returned to the TDD-1 the same day as the wedding after getting Sousuke's equipment bag from Shunya. A Mithril safe-house would later arrange for the bag to find it's way into Sousuke's apartment.

The week of Sousuke and Kaname's departure has arrived. Since Kaname had gotten her ring, Street Hawk had responded to five robberies and one attempted homicide. Also, Rolling Base had broken down in traffic and was in the process of being replaced when Norman Tuttle's friends found a new van to act as Rolling Base. With some modifications, it's proven to be a worthy replacement for the battered old Chevy Step-van.

At Middleton Airport, Sousuke and Kaname wait for their Mithril charter flight back to Tokyo. They look back at their friends and smile. Hirotaka had to stay home and watch over the twins, seeing as Judith had to leave town on a business trip. Bonnie grins massively as she brings out a Polaroid Instant Camera and sets it's timer.

"Let's get our picture taken together, guys." When they get into position, the flash goes off and Bonnie gets her camera without any incident this time. When she gets it, she pulls out the picture and hands it to Kaname. "Here, Kaname, when your little one sees this, you can tell him all about us. Well, maybe not all, but you get the point."

"I do, Bonnie. Thanks. Say, where's Felix and Tara at?"

Ron replies, "Doctor's Appointment. Tara wants to be sure that their latest bundle of joy will be all right monthly."

"That makes sense, Ron. Well, this is where we part ways, Ron. My Brother-in-Arms. We look forward to seeing you guys at the wedding when Sousuke Jr is born." That has Kaname laughing along with Kim and Bonnie as Ron and Sousuke exchange a hearty clap on each other's back.

"Take care, Sousuke, my Brother-in-Arms."

Sousuke nods just as Bonnie's beeper goes off. "Great timing, Norman. Just when they're about to leave. Sousuke, Kaname, see you guys at the wedding. I gotta go. War Bird duty calls." At that, the brassy brunette walks at a crisp pace out of the terminal.

"Must be pretty big for her to leave like that. Will she be all right?"

"Yeah, she will, Kaname. Bon-Bon has done this kind of thing before. Looks like your flight's about to leave. Kim and I'll have to tell you the story later on. Idea. We'll tell it to you guys in segments in our letters to you."

"Great idea, Ron. All we gotta do now is decide where we're going to live until we can get a proper house. Sousuke, why don't we move in together? Share your apartment. Since we're getting married, we could use the practice."

"Affirmative, Kaname. It's not a problem. Also, the balcony would be ideal as an escape route, should any attacks occur."

"Oh Sousuke. Only you can go otaku at a romantic time like this. But I love it and you!" Kaname then wraps Sousuke in her arms and kisses him passionately as they board the plane. Kim and Ron wave good-bye, with Sousuke and Kaname returning the wave as the door closes.

Kaname and Sousuke take their seats, right beside each other, and smile softly into each other's face. The month of fun in Colorado finally catches up with them and they both fall asleep, smiles on their faces as the Mithril charter leaves the ground and makes it's way to Tokyo.

Author's Notes: Got a little long-winded here. I've been working on this story and two other stories for a while now. If you want to know why Bonnie left after getting that beep, please check out 'Kim Possible and Street Hawk: A Hazzardous Sitch'. In the meantime, I'll have to submit this story chapter by chapter as they come along. Something this monumentous simply cannot be submitted in one broad stroke. Not without making the readers of my other stories upset. On that note, please bear with me on this. Trust me, I know what I'm doing.


	2. Summer in Tokyo Month 4

Seven Months p 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Panic! Wish I did though.

Summer in Tokyo: Month 4

On the Mithril charter flight, Sousuke and Kaname are still holding each other in a soft embrace as they fall asleep. Two hours later, Kaname slowly opens her brown eyes and smiles softly as she looks at the sleeping form beside her.

'Poor Sousuke. All the fun had taken it out of him.' She then looks at her engagement ring and smiles proudly at the way it was crafted. 'Only Sousuke would bridge the gap between his world and my world with this design. Yet, it's beautiful. The detail to the cherry blossom is extraordinary. The same for the grenade.' Looking down at her belly, she can see a slight bulge there. 'I'm starting to show now, slightly.' She then lovingly strokes her belly and nods.

"You'll have what your Father never had, baby. A chance to grow up in a peaceful environment, with loving parents. If they were alive right now, your Daddy's parents would undoubtedly be proud of him and his career. I know I am."

Cautiously unwrapping her arms from around Sousuke, she makes her way to the onboard phone and elects to call Kyoko Tokiwa to let her know they're on their way back. After entering the access code for the phone, she punches in Kyoko's number and soon smiles when she hears her friend's sleepy, yet chipper, voice.

"Hello?"

"Kyoko, it's Kaname."

"Kaname! How was your summer trip with Sousuke? Anything special happen?"

"Yeah. Several things. We're on our way back to Tokyo and I just woke up. So, what's happened at your end?"

"Let's see, Mizuki Inaba and Issei Tsubaki are seeing each other more, Saturo Shirai joined up with the JSDF. I guess he still thinks he's got a chance with you. Shinji Kazama, well."

"Well what, Kyoko?"

"He asked me out on a date, Kaname."

"Oh, that's wonderful, Kyoko. Has it happened yet?"

"No. It's not until you and Sousuke get back. We'd both feel better if you were with us for a double date. So, where's Sousuke right now? Oh, how was the convention circuit? Sousuke blow up anything or make new friends?" Kyoko's giggling is contagious as Kaname is giggling as well.

"He's asleep. He had such a good time this summer that he tired himself out. The circuit was great and he didn't blow much of anything up except where he was doing demonstrations of his skills. You might say he took first place in every event. Also, I have some news for you, Kyoko. You can't tell anyone else, at least until after we get back home. Oh, how are my hamster and fish?"

"They're doing fine. I think they miss you, though. So, what's the news?"

"Three things. One, Sousuke has a cousin." Kyoko's squeal is so loud, Kaname pulls it away from her ear.

"He has a cousin, Kaname? Where at?"

"Detroit, Michigan. He's a dead ringer for Sousuke except for one thing."

"Let me guess. Sousuke's scar."

"Yep. He didn't even know Sousuke was still alive. Same could be said for Sousuke when he found out about Luke, so it was a surprise for us all when they found each other. Ready for number two?"

"Ready, Kaname."

"We're engaged to be married." This time, Kyoko screams in delight at her friends' luck. The scream is so intense, Kaname jerks the phone away from her ear and cringes until Kyoko calms down.

"Oh wow. He doesn't waste time, does he, Kaname?"

"He wasted enough time trying to figure out his feelings. Seeing so much madness around him, he simply had no idea how to live in the world."

"By this time next year, you'll both be pushing a baby carriage, Kaname. So when's the wedding, Kaname?"

"It's interesting you should happen to mention that, Kyoko. Here's number three. We're having a baby." Suddenly, Kaname hears a thud on the other side of the line. "Kyoko? Kyoko, you okay?"

When she gets no reply, she smirks and says, "That's what you get for saying something like that, Kyoko." At that, she ends the call and returns to Sousuke's arms, a content smile on her face.

She then yawns and gets a naughty idea. She undoes her blouse and removes it, clad only in her bra now. She then gets into Sousuke's lap and curls herself up so that she'd be kissing his cheek for when he awakens. 'Try and top this, Sousuke.' With that thought, Kaname nods back off to sleep.

Five hours later, Sousuke groggily opens his eyes and sees Kaname's bra-covered breasts right in front of him, with Kaname right on his lap. Looking up, he sees Kaname is wearing a smug smile on her face and smiles softly. He then tilts her lips his way and kisses them softly, only for Kaname to return the kiss with more passion.

"Mmm, I like good evening kisses, Sousuke. What'd you think of what I did?"

"You don't need to get my attention like that, Kaname. You already have it. However, they are lovely, just like you are." Sousuke can't help but blush as he said it, with Kaname blushing as well.

"You are so handsome, Sousuke. If I'm not careful, you just might charm my skirt right off of me. Then again." Kaname then starts to pull her skirt off, a seductive smile on her face. When she looks at Sousuke, she sees that he's sweating 'bullets', just like at the Tracy wedding the previous month ago.

"Okay, we'll wait until we're back in Japan, Sousuke. It's not a problem."

Kaname then giggles as she pulls her skirt back up and softly kisses him, only for Sousuke to completely open his mouth and knock on her lips with his tongue. Opening her mouth, she allows Sousuke's tongue entry and they both French each other silly. She then shifts herself to the point where she's straddling Sousuke's lower region.

"This feels like a good position, Sousuke. Sousuke?" She then looks down at his face and sees that he's almost ready to pass out. "Oops. I guess that was too much for you to take, Sousuke." Getting up off his lap, she smiles as his breathing becomes normal.

"I'll think about using that as a proper daily chastisement when we get home from school, Sousuke." That does it as Sousuke's mind goes into overload and he passes right out. "He's so cute when he's tied up like a pretzel."

Now giggling again, Kaname gets up from his lap and puts her blouse back on before retaking her seat beside Sousuke. Intertwining her Fiance's fingers within hers, she kisses Sousuke's cheek softly before going back to sleep.

Five more hours later, Sousuke opens his steel-grey eyes and sees Kaname's back in her seat. Smiling softly, he runs his fingers through her hair, resulting in a stir from his 'Angel'. Kaname softly opens her eyes and smiles, blowing Sousuke a kiss. He returns it, resulting in a blush from her.

"Good morning, Kaname."

"Mmm, good morning, Sousuke. Feeling any better?"

"Affirmative. Just needed time for my mind to reset, Kaname." Sousuke then leans over and kisses Kaname, a proud smile on his face. "Have I told you how lovely you look?"

"No. Not since last night, Sousuke."

"You're so lovely, I can't find the words." Kaname blushes at that and kisses Sousuke passionately, just as the pilot's voice comes up.

"Lt. Sagara and Miss Chidori, we're approaching Tokyo and we have just gotten clearance to land." Kaname looks over at Sousuke and smiles softly before giving him a soft peck on his lips, with him returning it.

Fifteen minutes later, the plane lands and taxis to a stop in front of the terminal. When they get there, they see their friends and classmates waiting for them. Shinji and Kyoko are holding each others' hands while Maya Mukai is holding up a 'Welcome Home' sign. Mizuki and Issei are smiling widely with Dotaro Onodera right beside them.

As the couple leaves the plane, their friends and classmates swarm them, with Sousuke bringing out his Glock and firing into the air.

"Easy, we just came back home. Even more, we have an announcement to make."

Kaname nods and takes it from there. "We're engaged to be married and having a baby."

The reactions are so boisterous, it's a wonder that no one had gotten mangled as they all made their way to the parking lot. Both Sousuke and Kaname's jaws drop when they see the class had rented a van to pick them up in.

Shinji then smiles and says, "One place I think we should go to is the beach. Those in favor?" A sounding cheer erupts from everyone, even the still-stunned couple. The group then loads the teens into the van, with Onodera behind the wheel. He then drives the van out of the parking lot and heads it for the beach.

As they ride, Kaname comes out of it and asks, "Where's Ren at?"

Mizuki smiles and replies, "She and Atsunobu are waiting for us at the beach. So, Sousuke, are you going to use a shotgun on the watermelon like the last time? That was incredible when you did it blindfolded."

"Negative. My bag is bound to be back at my apartment by now. It simply wouldn't be worth the gas to get it."

Shinji then grins and says, "Actually, Atsunobu has the bag with him. He said he found it on his front porch one night about a month ago. With instructions that he give it to you upon arrival in Tokyo. Miss Kagurazaka, well."

"What about Miss Kagurazaka, Shinji?"

"I'm sorry, Kaname. But Miss Kagurazaka has been looking up all references to the Sagara name. I think she's intent on finding out how much of an otaku Sousuke is."

"No need to worry, Shinji. After all, it's not like there's a listing of otakus planet-wide. Right, Sousuke?"

"Affirmative, Kaname. So Shinji, how's your Father doing?"

"Oh, he's doing fine, Sousuke. In fact, you and Kaname made it back in time for the Base Festival." Kaname grins and wraps Sousuke into her arms and kisses him.

"We got back home just in time, Sousuke. Who's the opposing team this time, Shinji?"

"Team Nerima, just like the other summer. It seems that Captain Akagi wasn't pleased with the defeat that had been handed to his team."

"Well, he's not supposed to be. At the same time though, it was time for Narashino to win. Especially with 'the secret weapon' on their side."

Her curiosity peaked, Mizuki asks, "Who was that BS pilot anyways?"

"It's AS, Mizuki. As for who it was, it'll be better if no one knows who it actually is. Although, one just might suspect Lieutenant Lunacy here."

"Oh? What happened to Sergeant Stupidity, Kaname?"

"Kyoko, Sousuke was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant at the convention in Denver, Colorado. I have never felt so proud of Sousuke until now. Well, except for this." She then sends her left hand toward Kyoko to show her friends her ring.

Issei, Shinji, Maya, Mizuki and Kyoko all drop their jaws at the sight of the ring. Mizuki recovers her jaw in time to ask, "Is that a grenade on there?"

"Affirmative. It's Sousuke's way of blending our worlds together. The Cherry Blossom is my world and the grenade is Sousuke's." She then turns to Kyoko and smirks, saying, "I'm surprised you didn't blab about the other news, Kyoko."

"I didn't really remember very much. Just that you told me Sousuke has a cousin and you were engaged. When I heard the most impossible thing, I passed out."

Maya, intrigued, asks, "What was that, Kyoko? It's not like Kaname's pregnant."

"Actually, Maya, I am. Sousuke and I are getting married and having a baby." Maya has a stunned reaction while Mizuki shakes her head, muttering. "What's wrong, Mizuki?"

"Kaname, I only held that sign up as a joke when you were leaving. Now you return home knocked up. With Sousuke's baby no less. I know Sousuke takes things seriously, but why did you? It's because of me!" Mizuki then starts crying, only to be surprised to find Sousuke's arms around her in a consoling manner.

"You had no way of knowing what would happen, Mizuki. In a way, I'm glad this happened, as it's made me a little more human inside." Kaname nods in agreement with Sousuke and smiles as she brings out an envelope.

"That's right, Mizuki. I even have some pictures you might like here with us."

"Uh, Kaname? Is that the envelope from the Rockwaller mansion?"

"Yep, that it is, Sousuke. Now I know where Bonnie got her photography skills from. Here, this is us holding Kim and Ron Rockwaller. I'm holding Kim while Sousuke's holding Ron." Sousuke blushes intensely as Mizuki and Kyoko giggle.

"Oh, Kaname. You look happy with your finger inside Kim's mouth. Oh, Sousuke looks very manly holding a baby. Any ideas for names for your baby, Kaname and Sousuke?"

Kaname smiles proudly as she replies, "Already got one picked out, Maya. We found out it's a boy. So we're naming him Sousuke Sagara Jr."

"Whoa. Who told you that it's a boy, Kaname?" Kyoko is curious, as are the others.

"A Doctor I met during our trip, Kyoko. I hadn't been feeling well. She took a blood sample and that's when I learned about the news." She then wraps Sousuke back into her arms and kisses the side of his head. "Now I won't have to worry so much whenever Sousuke goes out on out of town trips. Because he'll have incentive to return home." The others chuckle and nod in agreement just as a Police siren sounds.

"Ono-D, what happened?"

"I'm not sure, Maya. I'll find out once I pull over." Once Ono-D has pulled over, the teens anxiously wait.

While they wait, Kaname takes an opportunity to see her friends. Maya had cut her red hair down to shoulder-length while Mizuki had let hers grow some. Kyoko has her reddish-blond hair in a ponytail while Shinji has his usual trim. Issei's green hair is still long and in a ponytail while Ono-D's hair is still blond and cropped.

Kaname then looks out the window and groans. "Oh no, not her!" Officer Yoko Wakana has her fiery-red hair closely cropped and is wearing a shark's grin.

"License and registration, now!" Ono-D scrambles to get out the registration while handing Wakana his license. When she reads his name on there, she asks, "Do you know why I pulled you over, Mr. Onodera?"

"No, Officer. I don't."

"Simple. You're overloaded. A van this size can only hold five people and it looks like you have seven or eight in there."

"My apologies, Officer. But it was the best I could do on short notice. A pair of friends of ours had just returned from the States and we're heading to the beach to relax until we all go back to school."

"All right. Passengers, step out of the van!" With a maniacal gleam in her eye, Wakana watches the teens step out of the van until she sees two familiar faces. "Well, now. It's little Miss Blue Hair and Mr. Double Rider. Welcome home. How was your trip?" She then lets out a laugh so shrill, it sends chills up everyone's spine except for Sousuke and Kaname.

Kaname smiles warmly and replies, "Pleasant. Very pleasant and fulfilling." She then brushes her left hand against her long blue hair when Wakana catches sight of her ring.

In a soft voice, which is rare for her, she asks, "Who's the lucky guy?"

"I am, Officer." Sousuke proudly steps to Kaname's side and wraps his arms around her torso. "I'm not able to participate in a match at the moment, however. The bag carrying my gear is with a friend of ours at the beach. If you like, we can have it there."

Curious, the others look toward Sousuke, with Kyoko asking, "What kind of match, Sousuke?"

"A shooting match, Kyoko. I even had a shooting match with Commander Alex Murphy of the Detroit Police Department during our trip. Surprisingly enough, he won."

"Whoa, I never thought you could be out-shot, Sousuke. You must not have been feeling well." Kyoko nods in agreement with Shinji as the others exchange worried glances.

"Actually, I was in excellent shape, Shinji."

"But how'd you lose, Sousuke?"

Sousuke turns to Kaname and asks, "Would you like to tell them or shall I, my darling Kaname?"

"You tell them, sweetie."

"Understood. Have you ever heard of Robocop?" At their nods and smiles, he goes on. "Commander Alex Murphy is also known as Robocop." That news floors everyone, aside from Sousuke and Kaname.

Wakana recovers her wits in time to ask, "How'd he beat you?"

"Superior firepower and sheer willpower, an excellent combination for an Officer of his caliber. Well, shall we proceed on to the beach so we can hold our competition, Officer Wakana?"

In a manic, frenzied voice, she replies, "Let's do it! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" She's still laughing as she runs back to her Patrol car while the teens get back into the van.

Once back inside, Kaname looks at Sousuke and Sousuke winks at her. "It's not a problem."

"That makes me feel so better, Sousuke. When we get to the beach, I'll write Kim and Ron to let them know we made it back here."

A puzzled Issei asks, "How can infants read a letter?"

"Not that Kim and Ron, Tsubaki. Ron and Kim Stoppable. Surprisingly enough, Bonnie named the infants after them." Sousuke's explanation is enough for them as he goes on. "Ron is the creator of the Naco and, as a result, very rich. He's probably getting ready for college as we speak."

At that, they arrive at the beach and see Ren Mikihara in her red one-piece bathing suit sitting across from Atsunobu Hayashimizu, still dressed in his ever-present white suit.

"How long has he been dressing like that? The whole summer?" Kaname is incredulous as she takes in the sight of the Student Body President. "This is summertime and a beach."

"It's one of things about him, Kaname. I think if he's to let himself go, the word will trickle back to school and the Principal would find it out of character for him. But, yeah. He's dressed like that every day since you and Sousuke left." Mizuki shrugs her shoulders after explaining and smiles at Sousuke's perplexed visage.

"I know his Excellency is required to be professional, but that's only at school, not the beach. It's beyond me." With that said, the group leaves the van, a surprised Wakana right behind them.

"Why is he wearing a suit at the beach? Is he that much of a busybody?"

Ono-D shrugs and replies, "No one really knows, Officer Wakana. President Hayashimizu, we're here!"

Ren turns at the voice and smiles when she sees Sousuke and Kaname walking hand in hand with each other. "Hello, Miss Chidori and Mr. Sagara. How was the trip?"

"Hi, Ren. It went pretty well, given some surprises."

Atsunobu smiles as he closes his fan and asks, "What kind of surprises, Miss Chidori?"

"It's a good thing you're sitting down right now, President Hayashimizu. Sousuke has a living relative. A cousin in Detroit Michigan."

"A cousin?" Ren, Atsunobu and Wakana all asked at the same time, shocked by this.

Wakana then asks, "How'd you find out?"

"The news. His name's Luke and he looks just like me, with one difference. He doesn't have a scar like mine. I was so surprised, I fainted."

"Wow, so the crazy otaku is human after all. What was it like, finding out about him, Sagara?"

"Not a bad experience, Tsubaki. Not a bad one at all. Matter of fact, it kinda helps having family. Even though we've started ours."

Perplexed, Ren then asks, "What do you mean, Mr. Sagara?"

Kaname smiles and replies, "We're engaged and having a baby, Ren." She then slips her left hand forward to show them the custom ring.

Ren smiles, sniffles and giggles while Atsunobu pushes his glasses up onto his nose and glances at Sousuke.

"Mr. Sagara, report."

"Sir, upon arrival in Detroit, we were accosted by a mugger intent on taking Kaname's jewelry. He did not count on Kaname wearing explosives on her ears, as he had lost his head when she crammed an earring into his mouth. Later that day, we met Luke and we had a reunion of sorts in the Police Station. That night, we made the decision to start our own family. Upon our return to New York, we became intent on spending time enjoying ourselves. Then, came the news that Luke had been abducted by a criminal organization."

Wakana drops her jaw and scowls, asking, "Is he all right?"

"Affirmative. Team Hawk extracted him from the Sho-Da-Kah's main compound in Shanghai China. He's back in Detroit right now with his girlfriend. Officer Elizabeth Davis with the Detroit Police Department." Sousuke's mind then reels as he thinks, 'I just wish I could tell them I was there. But, I just can't break cover.'

Kaname smiles as she brings up another picture. "I got this picture from Team Hawk before we returned home. It's a sunrise over Shanghai, taken from Sand Hawk's camera."

Shinji smiles and says, "I've heard of Team Hawk. They consist of Street Hawk, Sand Hawk, Ninja and War Bird. They're pretty hard to beat. In fact, I don't think they ever failed a mission. I've been reading some other items other than AS magazines and came across an article about them once. Street Hawk is assigned to a motorcycle, Sand Hawk's with a dune buggy, Ninja and War Bird reportedly share a helicopter. But, that part's not even confirmed. It's just speculation that they share it. In fact, it's even rumored that Street Hawk is able to traverse water at a high rate of speed."

"Sounds like you've been busy, Shinji. So, Kyoko, when are you and Shinji going on your date?"

"How does tomorrow night sound for a double date, Kaname?"

"Perfect, Kyoko. Maya, Mizuki, why don't you guys see about getting some watermelons so Sousuke and Officer Wakana can obliterate them? Sousuke, I'll be writing. So, please do not spray me with watermelon juice like you did last time."

"Roger." He then turns to Atsunobu and says, "I'm ready for my bag, your Excellency."

"Very good, Mr. Sagara. It's right beside my left foot. As I'm not normally curious as to it's contents, I've not opened it. I'll leave that to you."

"Roger." He then goes to Atsunobu's left side and hefts the bag onto his shoulder, a sinister smile on his face. He catches a glimpse of Kaname walking to a table, with Kyoko and Shinji close behind her. When he sees her sit down, he turns to Wakana and turns his smile to a grin, much akin to a shark's.

"Ready when you are, Officer."

"Okay. Bring out your hardware, Mr. Double Rider. While you do so, we'll wait for the girls to return with the watermelons."

"I think it's fitting for you to know who I am. Sagara. Sousuke Sagara."

"Very good, Sagara. Wakana. Yoko Wakana."

'Whack-job is more like it.' Sousuke then starts bringing out his weaponry after opening the bag. Much to his surprise, Atsunobu is looking intently at the contents as they come out.

At the table, Kaname is starting her letter.

_'Dear Kim and Ron, Sousuke and I made it back without a problem. I hope Bonnie was all right when she left the terminal. She didn't look very excited about responding to her beeper. Then again, I guess a busy and hectic lifestyle will do that to a person. Please give our best to Bonnie, Hirotaka, Norman, Jane, Lily and Jessica. _

_Our friends were waiting for us on the tarmac, as I had called Kyoko during the flight to let her know we were on our way back home. Right now, Sousuke and Officer Wakana are getting ready for a watermelon shooting match. Right now, Kyoko and Shinji are with me. I even showed them the picture of us holding Bonnie's children. Maya Mukai said that Sousuke looks very manly holding a child. In any case, I'll hand it over to Kyoko as I'm sure she'd like to tell you or ask you some things.'_

She then passes the paper to Kyoko and the bespectacled girl giggles as she writes her portion.

_'Hi, Kyoko Tokiwa here. It's nice to be able to write to friends of Kaname and Sousuke's. I had been waiting a long time for Kaname to find herself a nice, clean and dependable guy. It was surprising to learn it would be Sousuke. Then again, it's really quite fitting it's him. After all, when he's around, she's a lot more energetic, making her more fun to be around. He's like a breath of fresh air with his otaku antics._

_I suppose you're wondering about me. I'm a shutterbug, as I like to take pictures of strange things as they happen. Of course, a lot of pictures usually consist of Kaname and Sousuke. Either separate or together. Quite frankly, they look very good together. _

_There's one time that comes to mind I found to be both scary and amusing at the same time. Sousuke and Kaname were assigned to the high school's rugby team to see about bolstering their spirits for the games. Problem was, however, the rugby team was entirely pacifist. That's right, completely spineless. After an incident with Garasuyama High's rugby team, Sousuke elected to train them._

_The results were astounding and devastating at the same time. At the practice game, the Captain for the Garasuyama team took a nasty kick from Sousuke's shoe when he went after Sousuke. But, that was nothing compared to their war cry and their training under Sousuke. When they were handling the rugby balls, they were talking to them and that night, their eyes were glowing a scary red. It was like some weird brainwashing that Sousuke had put them through. When they faced off, the Jindai team became quite bloodthirsty. Garasuyama never stood a chance. They had suffered more injuries that night at the hands of the Jindai Team. From that moment on, the name of Jindai High School was the same as fear in the players at Garasuyama. _

_Oh, I'd like to tell you something else about me. I'm seeing a very nice and shy boy named Shinji Kazama. He's about a big a buff when it comes to Arm Slaves like Sousuke is. If I had ever seen a friendship develop that fast, it's Shinji and Sousuke. They're almost like brothers as they speak the same language that buffs normally speak. Well, here's Shinji.'_

Passing the paper to Shinji, Kyoko can't help but giggle as the bespectacled boy tries to find a solid opening. Shinji then snaps his fingers and begins.

_'Shinji Kazama here. What Kyoko said about me is accurate, so she pretty much ruined what I had in mind. Oh, now she's shrugging while smirking. She looks so cute when she smirks. Oops, I made her blush. Sorry, Kyoko. I'd like to tell you about an event that happened with Kaname, myself and Sousuke._

_One night, I went to Kaname's apartment to steal a pair of her panties, all because the older students took all my negatives of Arm Slaves I'd taken pictures of. They told me I wasn't brave enough to get close to my models. Well, in any case, I had just grabbed a pair of Kaname's panties when I felt a gun at my back and a hand over my mouth. I didn't realize until a little bit later that it was Sousuke. _

_Of course, he said he was just passing by. Yet, he was wearing military fatigues and armed. I told him the situation and we got to chatting. We were so intent on our conversation that we lost track of time until Kaname opened her door and saw us, her panties in Sousuke's hand and got her baseball bat. Sousuke tried to help me escape, but I had gotten caught in some bushes. Sousuke took a pretty bad blow to his head. Uh oh, I see Kaname's face is starting to go red hot. So I think I'll just mosey on out of here before she uses her halisen on me.'_

At that, both Shinji and Kyoko leave Kaname be, just as Mizuki and Maya come back with the watermelons. Kaname softly strokes her belly, glad she doesn't have to do any heavy lifting during her pregnancy. When Maya and Mizuki put the watermelons down, they're nowhere near Kaname. Both girls then walk to Kaname's side, eager to see how her letter's coming along.

Maya grins as she says, "Looks like you're letting Kyoko and Shinji put their two yen in. Any room for the rest of us?"

"Yeah, sure, Maya. How about you, Mizuki?"

"Are you kidding me? I wouldn't miss this in exchange for no explosions at school."

"I don't think Sousuke would promise that, but I think he'd be willing to try. Besides, President Hayashimizu did say there'd be a section of lockers for Sousuke to blow up. Hopefully, it'll be in the rundown part of Jindai High. I think the Principal has been wanting that area to be redone in a while. And what better way to start it off than 'amateur' demolition work by our resident otaku?"

Both Maya and Mizuki nod and giggle their agreement, just as gunshots erupt on the beach. All three girls look toward the competition zone and see both Wakana and Sousuke are blindfolded.

Before that point in time, just as Sousuke is bringing out his weaponry, Ren remembers the last time he annihilated a watermelon.

"Mr. Sagara?"

"Yes, Miss Mikihara?"

"Will you be blindfolded like last time? I found your skill to be quite exemplary."

"Affirmative."

A confused Wakana asks, "What do you mean by blindfolded?"

Ono-D chuckles as he brings out the blindfolds and explains, "Mizuki told me about that last month. I'd like to see it as well, Sousuke. Officer Wakana, would you like to try it as well?"

Wakana ponders about that for three seconds before replying, a crazed cackle leaving her mouth, "Sure. HAHAHAHA! It'll make it even more interesting." At that, he blindfolds both contestants as Wakana brings out a P90 submachine gun and primes it. "Let's get this party started! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Ren and Ono-D both chuckle before Ren replies, "First, we need to spin you around, to make things more interesting. It's the same way they did Mr. Sagara that summer." At that point, Shinji and Kyoko return to the group just as Maya and Mizuki are returning with the watermelons.

"I've never seen Kaname that angry, Shinji. Next time you feel like being an underwear thief, try me." That gets Shinji's nose to start bleeding before he passes out. "All right, let's bust these watermelons wide open."

Ono-D takes Sousuke while Kyoko and Ren take Wakana and spin them both around. Both Maya and Mizuki put the watermelons down, far away from Kaname and join her at the table just as the spinning stops.

Sousuke brings up his Franchi SPAS 15 and triggers the first round, completely decimating the watermelon.

Pleased with Sousuke's shot, Ren says, "Hit and total destruction, Mr. Sagara. Your turn, Officer Wakana."

"Great!" At that, Wakana lets loose a volley of rounds from the P90 and sprays from one side to another, cutting a watermelon in half and scattering a group of beach-goers.

"Hit, Officer Wakana. You cut it in half. However, you also scared quite a few people and came close to hitting them. Would you like us to aim you?"

"If it's not a whole lot of trouble for you, please." With that, Ren and Kyoko aim Wakana at the next watermelon.

Ren then smiles and says, "You're up, Mr. Sagara."

"Roger." Priming the SPAS again, he selects the next watermelon and annihilates it. "What a simple game. With this skill level, I could have a very good time with this."

Ono-D chuckles as he says, "Another destructive hit for Sousuke. Officer, you're up."

"Roger that." Triggering another volley of rounds, she cuts another watermelon into pieces.

"Excellent, we have watermelon chunks. It's a tie, however. Both contestants are highly skilled, without a doubt. Even more, there are no more watermelons to shoot. The match is a definite draw. We can do it again at a later time if you like."

Wakana smiles at Ono-D's words as she removes the blindfold and says, "Nah. I'll give this match to Sousuke. After all, the object was to completely destroy watermelons. He did that while blindfolded. Sousuke, I'll work on my blindfolded shooting techniques. Just keep yourself and Miss Blue Hair safe."

"I will. It was interesting shooting with you, Officer Yoko Wakana."

"Likewise, Sousuke Sagara." At that, she conceals her P90 as she leaves the beach and returns to her Patrol car.

After the competition ends, Kaname looks toward Maya and Mizuki and smiles. "Looks like Sousuke won this one, guys."

Mizuki nods in agreement as she gets ready to do her portion.

_'Hello, Mizuki Inaba here. I'm not exactly a friend of Kaname's. More like an acquaintance of sorts. We started as something akin to rivals then became acquaintances with each other. But we're working on being friends. In any case, Sousuke and Officer Wakana just had a shooting competition involving watermelons and being blindfolded while shooting them. Strange but true. In any case, Sousuke won. _

_I'd better tell you something about myself before I lose track of what's going on. I'm something of a show-off and I hold a mean grudge at times. I know I did against Kaname when Shirai dumped me in the restroom. You see, Shirai wanted Kaname. So I blamed her for it. I had Sousuke pose as Shirai before I realized that I wanted Shirai to be hurt, like he had hurt me. I don't think he's paid off his credit cards yet, though. I wanted so desperately to save face I made the decision to have Sousuke pose as Shirai._

_Here's some tips for saving face. One; just tell your friends what had happened. They'll understand. Two; don't try changing someone to fit the one that dumped you. Three, and this is key; if he tries to help you save face by kissing you, don't slug him after he does so. Even though the kiss was unexpected, it was rather nice. Even though Sousuke didn't know a thing about kissing. Kaname later told me that he thought it was mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. I laughed for hours after that, as did Kaname._

_Let it never be said that Sousuke will do a job halfway. He will do everything possible to do anything. Be it from making your life a living nightmare to being the best friend you can ever hope for. I'm glad I'm realizing that now, as I have a new boyfriend. His name's Issei Tsubaki. He's the Captain of the Amateur Karate Club. I think I'll have him include his thoughts about Sousuke.'_

She then passes the paper to a smiling Maya and smiles as Maya starts writing.

_'Maya Mukai here. Here's a story you might like. It involves Sousuke being a hero one minute and a pervert the next. We were in a shop, having a snack, when a guy left his briefcase behind. Kaname grabbed it up and Sousuke went right after her, knocking down a table in the process. Kaname had gone out into the street to get his attention when a truck blared it's horn. _

_I had never been so scared and neither had any of us, let alone Kaname. Next thing we knew, Sousuke had tackled Kaname and plowed them into a playground across the street. As for the truck, somehow it had gotten a smashed-in front end. Without any traffic in front of it. Strange, very strange indeed. The guy reclaimed his briefcase and we checked to see how Kaname and Sousuke were. They weren't too badly injured, yet Sousuke's hand was on very dangerous territory. _

_The poor guy didn't even know where his hand was. But, Kaname took it the wrong way and slugged him after calling him a pervert. But, to us, he'll always be a hero because Kaname is our friend. If she had died, we would have been devastated. Injuries can heal, but broken hearts cannot. That is all I have time for.'_

Maya hands the paper back to Kaname and smiles at her approving nod.

Kaname then says, "Let's get some watermelon, guys, before the others finish off what's left."

Mizuki nods and replies, "Okay, Kaname. Besides, I'm sure that Issei, Ono-D, Ren and President Hayashimizu have something to say about Sousuke." Kaname and Maya both crack up at that as all three of them leave the table and make their way to the gathering. Sure enough, the remainder have a few things to say.

Issei accepts the paper and starts writing.

"_Issei Tsubaki here. The others have glowing references when it comes to Sagara, but I don't. I still view him as sneaky, dirty, underhanded, uncivilized and downright dangerous, given that he uses weapons and distractions to win his fights. Even more, one time, he detonated my letter of challenge to him. That's right, he detonated it! Even more, he does that to every letter he gets._

_I can't see why Kaname can't find a safer guy to be around. One that honors pure unarmed combat instead of the kind that Sagara favors. At the same time, however, I wonder what it would be like to be as dirty as he is when it comes to fights. I mean, he defeated the entire Karate Club using his methods._

_For the first one, he used a shotgun with a rubber slug. The second, gas. For the third one, he used a grenade as a decoy and pummeled him in the groin. But when I went up against him, he nearly died when I used a potentially deadly technique against him. To my surprise and Kaname's, he had survived it. I was in the process of preparing to finish him off when Kaname distracted me. You see, I'm nearsighted and can't see much of anything without my glasses. Long story short, he punched me and I was knocked out of the Dojo. _

_For the life of me, I will say this much for him. If he was to join the Military, the enemy would not stand a snowball's chance in Hell. As he would use every single dirty trick he knows to defeat them. In a way, I kinda feel sorry for the potential enemies he would come across. Later.'_

He then passes it to Ono-D and the blond boy starts writing.

_'Dotaro Onodera here, but my friends call me Ono-D. I can't say a lot of negative or positive things about Sousuke. But, I will say this much. If an enemy was to come to the high school, they'd better start praying when Sousuke's around. Hopefully, we won't have that weird bacteria at the high school again. No, it'd be preferable if they were in Art Class with him instead._

_I mean, if he can create traps with things around him you can find in nature, imagine what he can do with things not found in nature. I'm glad he's a friend and I also find he'd be very scary as an enemy. He nearly drowned me in swimming class when we were learning about Synchro. In fact, he nearly drowned the entire male class. He had asked Shinji what Synchro was and Shinji told it to him in Military terms. Big mistake, it was._

_He nearly drowned Shinji, me and eight other boys. The next one looked at him and saw his doom. When Shinji regained consciousness later, he told me that he had seen a dark aura around Sousuke. Like he was possessed by an evil demon._

_The other boys were so frightened, they were calling out that they didn't want to die. Of course, Kaname set him on the right path and survived. The Synchro Coach was so impressed, he offered Sousuke a spot, but Sousuke refused. I tell you, that guy was much stranger than Sousuke is. I just hope he doesn't want Sousuke this time. Well, this is Ono-D and I'm gone.'_

After Ono-D hands the paper to Ren, the quiet, purple-haired girl softly smiles and starts writing.

_'Ren Mikihara here. Mr. Sagara and Miss Chidori are friends of mine, though Mr. Sagara's idea of friendship is slightly askew. Yet, he doesn't mean any harm. In a way, he's actually very pleasant to be around. He always tries his best to keep a situation calm, but he doesn't always succeed. Given the choice between clothes-eating bacteria and explosions in the school, however, I'd pick the explosions any day. _

_Because every time Mr. Sagara does a detonation, he knows what the situation is and gives ample warning. Or at least he seems to anyway. The clothes-eating bacteria wasn't really his fault and he did warn us not to open the bottle. Even more, he tried to keep the situation contained until Mr. Fujisaki got tired of the screaming and breached the door seals that Mr. Sagara had put up._

_Quite frankly, I'm glad Mr. Sagara came into our lives. Without him around, school would certainly be safe and boring. I will now turn this over to Atsunobu Hayashimizu, Student Body President of Jindai High School.'_

She then passes the paper to Atsunobu, who nods and says, "Thank you, Miss Mikihara." With that, he starts his portion.

_'President Hayashimizu here. I see a lot of testimonials regarding Mr. Sagara, our school's Security Expert. I will open up with this. Mr. Sagara is one of the finest people I have ever had the pleasure to meet. I even had the opportunity to help Mr. Sagara in rescuing Miss Chidori by providing information on a gang leader and her group. _

_When we learned what had happened, I told Mr. Sagara to match them blow by blow. Or, in his terms, "tactic for tactic". Ever since that day, there has not been any reprisals from the gang that he had gone up against._

_Of course, the time of the bacteria was memorable, yet preferred to be forgotten about and gotten past. But, at least with Mr. Sagara, there's never a dull moment. All the explosions, chaos and insanity aside, he's really a nice young man trying to make sense of the world around him. Even though it's not very sensible. I will now turn you over to Miss Chidori.'_

Atsunobu smiles as he passes the paper back to Kaname, allowing Kaname to write.

_'I never imagined this letter would get so long. Of course, I didn't expect to have the idea to let my friends write their minds down. Believe it or not, every single incident they had described happened. For that, I'm very glad because they allow Sousuke to see things as they're supposed to be. Even when his Military-set brain interprets it to be otherwise. I'll pass you on over to Sousuke now.' _

Kaname softly smiles at Sousuke as he accepts the paper and starts writing.

_'Sousuke here. I'm glad Kaname saved me for last as what I have to write you is of a highly classified nature.'_ He looks at the others and nods his signal for privacy. The others nod back and walk away, feeling downtrodden, except for Kaname and Atsunobu. "Your Excellency, what I have in mind for my portion is not exactly meant for your eyes."

"I understand, Mr. Sagara. Your honesty is refreshing and respected. As a result, I respect your wish for privacy. Miss Chidori, please be kind enough to let us know when Mr. Sagara is finished."

"I will, President Hayashimizu." As Atsunobu leaves them be, Kaname turns to Sousuke and asks, "Why'd you say that, Sousuke? If he has suspicions, he should at least have them confirmed."

"If they're to be confirmed, it'll be by Mithril, not me, Kaname. After all, I am here undercover to guard you. I just didn't expect falling in love with you or even developing an emotional attachment to you."

"Yeah, I know what you mean, Sousuke. If a strange man had told me five years ago that my dream guy would be a teenage super-mega-ultra-commando, I'd have been skeptical myself, if not found that man to be crazy. Even more, if he had told me that said commando would turn my world upside-down without intending to, he would have gotten hit with my halisen. To top it all off, if he had told me that the same commando would be the only thing standing between me and death, I would have punched him silly."

She then smiles and says, "I'm glad it didn't happen that way. Of course, a little advance warning would have been helpful. But, it's not a problem."

"Affirmative." With that, Sousuke blushes as he resumes writing, much to Kaname's glee.

_'I had to disperse our classmates so they wouldn't see that I'm writing about my knowledge of you all being Team Hawk. With that said, I'd like to extend an invitation for the month after next back to Merida Island during the teacher's work period. During our time there, I can teach Ron and anyone else interested how to pilot an M9 Gernsback Arm Slave. Hopefully, he or they will have better luck than Madam Captain._

_You see, she had challenged Sgt. Major Mao to an Arm Slave duel because of a silly argument involving something only they know about. Since her experience was sorely lacking, she asked me to teach her in piloting an AS. Little did I realize I had my work cut out for me. That was further evidenced when she took an M9 for a swim. Without the proper equipment attached to it._

_That's right. She sank an M9 without even trying. Ultimately, she settled on an old Mithril M6 Bushnell. Of course, Sgt. Major Mao was incredulous. After all, given the specs of the M6 versus an M9, it would seem to be no contest against the newer M9. But, Madam Captain's determination saw her through and she won. That's all I can safely say about my foray into teaching. Yet, I think that you and the others would make excellent teachers if you were to go that way. Sagara out.' _

He then passes the paper back to a smiling Kaname and blushes when she kisses his cheek. "That was beautiful writing, Sousuke. So, while you were teaching Tessa to pilot an Arm Slave, what else did she do other than taking it for a swim?"

"Well, before the impromptu swim, she was climbing up the ladder when she lost her grip and fell onto me. She then said that she was all right and also feeling kind of lucky. What she meant by that, I have no idea at all. I was ready to get up off of the ground, but she wouldn't get up off of me. I wound up dragging myself along the beach, with her on top of me and giggling for some strange reason."

'Hmm, if I were to fall onto Sousuke from an Arm Slave, it wouldn't be by accident or clothed. HAHAHAHA! I'd certainly be giggling, though. I think I'll do that during our honeymoon after Sousuke Jr is born. Wait a minute! That picture in Tessa's safe! It coincides with what Sousuke told me and partly what Tessa told me. An M9 is pretty recognizable. He was on the beach teaching her to pilot an M9.'

Kaname then puts the paper down onto the table and straddles Sousuke's waist. "Uh, Kaname?"

"Shh, you'll like this, Sousuke. Don't worry, I have nothing naughty in mind, yet. But that can change, though. That can certainly change. Especially since I'm wearing my white bikini." She gets up off of him, smirks and adds, "I'll be right back, sweetie." At that, she walks toward a nearby cabana, leaving a sweating, dazed and nervous Sousuke on the beach.

The others see what has happened and resolve to leave the two lovebirds in peace. However, Kyoko can't help but giggle as she snaps a quick picture of Sousuke on the chair, sweating, dazed and nervous.

'The Principal and Miss Kagurazaka should see this moment in time. "Sweating otaku in love with fiery beauty". It'll be one of my finest pictures.' She then ducks in time to avoid being seen by a bikini-clad Kaname coming out of the cabana, a seductive smile on her face.

When she gets to Sousuke, she plants herself firmly into Sousuke's lap and tenderly kisses him. Sousuke snaps out of it in time to return the affection. As the couple kiss, Kaname takes Sousuke's right hand and puts it onto her belly.

"That's us in there, Sousuke. Of course, he'll mostly be you. But, his childhood will be a lot smoother than yours was. I know you didn't have the best childhood, Sousuke. But, you still turned out pretty much okay."

"Affirmative." With his hand on her belly still, he softly strokes the bump, a soft smile on his face. "I've ended so many lives, so I guess it's fitting I take part in giving a new one to the world."

"That's right, Sousuke. Of course, the lives you ended were of those that sought to do harm to innocent people all over the world. I now understand why you went through it all so stoically. It's to keep your distance, that way if you save lives in the process, then no one would have to go through what you did."

She then smiles, gets up and lifts Sousuke out of the chair, saying, "Let's go to your place, Sousuke. I'm feeling a little run down. Besides, we gotta get this letter sent off to Kim and Ron."

"Roger."

At that, the young couple gather their belongings, with Sousuke bearing the burden, and head for Sousuke's apartment. They arrive at the train station and buy two tickets for the Tamagawa District of Tokyo. Upon arrival at Tamagawa, Kaname and Sousuke walk to his apartment building, take an elevator once inside and hold each others' hands.

Kaname smiles at the thought of seeing Sousuke's apartment for the first time since Tessa's last visit. "Do you think you'll have to clean the place up, Sousuke?"

"Probably so, Kaname. After all, I hadn't been in here for three months. It's bound to be very dusty in here." When they reach his floor, they walk along the hallway, only to see his door is ajar.

Both teens think, 'Not good!' as they take in the scene. The protector within him stirring, he hands a pair of ear plugs to Kaname, motions her to put them in as he draws his Glock 17. Waving her to the staircase behind him, he brings out a flash-bang. When Kaname is safely behind him, he goes to the door and slowly opens it.

Seeing no one in the space between the door and the apartment, Sousuke keeps the Glock aimed right at the door as he nears it. Seeing it ajar, he pulls out the pin on the flash-bang. He then kicks the door open and throws it in, covering his ears in time to ward off the shockwave of sound. Once it had gone by, he enters the apartment and sweeps it until he sees a face he hadn't expected to see until the next month.

"Not good!" Going back outside, he sees Kaname wearing a scowl as she removes the ear plugs from her ears. "Kaname, before you yell at me, there's something you need to see."

"What's that, Sousuke? New gun racks from Mithril?"

"Negative. It seems as if we have company."

"Company? Who'd be so brazen as to enter your place without permission, Sousuke? Other than a hostile intruder, that is."

Sousuke nods in agreement before saying, "Believe me, she was the last person I'd expect."

"She?" When he tells her, her jaw drops right down before she starts throttling him. "How can you do such a thing? If she didn't think you were dangerous before, then she knows now, Lieutenant Lunacy!"

"If I had known she was in there, I wouldn't have used that approach, Kaname."

"What would you have used, you lunatic?" She then sighs and says, "We better face the music, Sousuke. I hope you at least covered the equipment in the room before we left Tokyo."

"Affirmative. It's a good thing I didn't rig a fragmentation hand grenade to the doorway. Otherwise, Miss Kagurazaka would have died in the blast." Kaname nods in agreement as the two teens go inside to see Eri Kagurazaka coming out of the daze.

The woman had let her red hair grow somewhat longer and her grey eyes are starting to focus. "Oh, do either of you have an aspirin? Sagara, why did you detonate a grenade in here?"

Sousuke replies, "Affirmative. I have some aspirin in the Medical Kit. Kaname, you'll find it in the cupboard."

"Roger." As Kaname goes to the cupboard, Sousuke turns back to Miss Kagurazaka.

"As to your second question, I was not expecting anyone to be in here when we returned, teacher. My apologies. But, what are you doing in my apartment?"

"Trying to find out how much of an otaku you are, Sagara. To be honest, I found quite a few things that your average otaku doesn't have."

"What would that be, exactly?"

"A well-equipped communications set-up, covered by a tablecloth, a rack full of rifles and other weapons and a closet filled with grenades of every kind. But, the thing that got my attention the most was this." She then brings out a piece of paper with a hole on it. Unfolding it, she asks, "Do you know this man, Sagara?"

"Affirmative. Or perhaps I should say knew, ma'am."

"Sousuke, here's the Medical Kit. Oh, is this a bad time?"

"Negative, Kaname. It seems Miss Kagurazaka has found Gauron's picture." The sound of the Kit hitting the floor is audible as the two teens and one adult look at each other. He then asks, "How long have you been in here, Miss Kagurazaka?"

"Ever since the day you left Tokyo, Sagara. But, I don't understand why you have the picture of the man that hijacked our flight and took Miss Chidori from the plane."

Sousuke sighs and replies, "He was my worst enemy, Miss Kagurazaka. His name was Gauron, a brutal mercenary. I first came across him in Afghanistan, when I was only a boy. An older man from Russia came across me after our camp was destroyed by Gauron. Together, we vowed to seek revenge. The man was the decoy and I was the sniper. It wasn't until some time later that I found out Gauron was still alive. The shot was at a shallow angle and he had a titanium plate in his head from a previous injury."

"What do you mean by 'was', Sagara? Just how would you describe him?"

"He was harder to kill than a ninja cockroach, Miss Kagurazaka. As to your first question, he's dead for sure now. I gave a friend of mine Gauron's head as a trophy. Or at least what's left of it."

Miss Kagurazaka gulps and cringes at the imagery as she asks, "How'd it happen? What exactly are you, Sagara?"

"I shot him, point blank range, as did Street Hawk. It was in Shanghai China when it happened. Street Hawk nailed him in the chest and I nailed Gauron in his head. For added measure, I took a wedge of C-4 and blew his corpse apart. As for what I am, I'm a mercenary, assigned to Miss Chidori's protection. Over time, we fell in love with each other."

"But, how? What does she need protection for?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Kagurazaka. I cannot tell you as I do not have the specifics myself. Neither does Kaname, as my superior Officer has undoubtedly told her bits and pieces at a time. Essentially, I'm Kaname's Life Insurance Agent and Policy. Given the current circumstances, it goes even further."

"Current circumstances?" Miss Kagurazaka finally looks over at Kaname and sees two things. The ring on her left ring finger and the same hand stroking her belly. She then looks at Kaname's face and sees a soft, happy smile as she looks over at Sousuke. "You mean?"

"Affirmative. We're engaged to be married and Kaname is with child." With those words, Eri Kagurazaka faints dead away. "I'd say she took the news better here than usually at school, Kaname."

"I'll say, Sousuke. But, we should work on your news delivery skills, just the same. Wouldn't you agree, sweetie?"

"Hmm, affirmative." With that, Sousuke props Miss Kagurazaka up on the couch and goes to his radio set-up. "This is Urzu 7 to HQ. Urzu 7 to HQ. Request connection to TDD-1 Control. Over."

"HQ, roger Urzu 7. Connecting now." Two minutes later, both teens hear the voice of Commander Richard Mardukas.

"Urzu 7, this is the Commander. What is your situation? Over." Sousuke explains the situation and, after some deep breathing, asks, "Can she be trusted, Lieutenant?"

"She found my equipment by herself, sir. Even more, she is an innocent and our teacher. She even found Gauron's picture, sir."

"I see. Very well, I'll leave her in your capable hands, Lieutenant." At that, communication ends, allowing Sousuke and Kaname to ponder.

Two hours later, Miss Kagurazaka comes out of it, feeling like she was having a very weird and bad dream. She then feels a cold cloth against her forehead, opens her eyes and sees Kaname.

"Hello, Miss Chidori. I just had the most hideous dream. No, make that nightmare."

"What happened, Teacher?"

"I was in Sagara's apartment and he had all kinds of equipment. Guns, grenades, radio set-up. He even had a picture of the leader of the hijackers. He then told me he was a mercenary, assigned to protect you. Even more, that was after he used a grenade in the room."

"Maybe you should rest more often, Teacher. Either that or stop watching war movies."

"Oh, that's not the worst part."

"What was that, Teacher?"

"You were engaged to him and also having his baby. That was when I blacked out in my dream." She then looks around and says, "This does not look like my apartment, Miss Chidori. Are we in yours?"

"Negative. We're in Sousuke's place. As for it being a dream or nightmare, I'm afraid not. It's actually happening. Miss Kagurazaka, meet my Fiance and the Father of the baby inside me. Sousuke Sagara, Lieutenant of Mithril."

"Lieutenant? Mithril?"

"Affirmative, ma'am. My call sign is Urzu 7, ID number is B-3128. I'm a Specialist, assigned to Mithril's Pacific Theater with the Special Response Team. Essentially, I'm here as Kaname's protection."

Miss Kagurazaka, stunned, asks, "What exactly is Mithril and why are you here to protect Miss Chidori?"

"Essentially, we wipe out drug factories and terrorist camps. We're mercenaries on the side of Justice. As to my assignment, it started the moment I entered the school grounds. It was to be without Kaname's knowledge or anyone else's. That all changed when we went on our school trip."

"Gauron?"

"Affirmative. He had taken Kaname to a mobile laboratory to have a scientist do experiments on her. I got her out while my colleagues got the others out."

Miss Kagurazaka's face pales as she says, "The Rescue Unit that claimed to be with the UN."

"Affirmative. We have reach just about anywhere on the planet and within some organizations."

"That Arm Slave pilot, the woman's voice from it, she told me that Kaname was on another flight. I was curious as to how she knew Kaname's name. Was she one of yours as well?"

"Also affirmative. She was my NCOIC, my field superior, you might say. I was a Sergeant back then. But, as luck would have it, we missed both planes. As we were making our way through the forest, we came across another one of my comrades, Urzu 6."

Kaname steps in from there. "His Arm Slave was utterly destroyed when a round from it's weapon bounced right back at him. I don't have the details of how exactly, just that it was. Later, Sousuke got the idea for me to go by myself while he and Urzu 6 stayed behind to buy me time to escape. But, I wouldn't have it. We were so close after I pleaded with him, we almost kissed. I then had the silly idea that if friendly aircraft could see a signal, then we'd be rescued. Urzu 6 then reminded Sousuke of one key piece of equipment an excellent organization like Mithril needs to operate at full capacity."

"What's that, Miss Chidori?"

"A spy satellite, Miss Kagurazaka. Or rather, a series of them. Our spy satellites circle the globe every twelve hours over specific points of potential trouble spots. Before leaving on the mission, Urzu 6 was shown a picture of the base. However, there was a catch to the plan. The cloud cover was very thick, so it was a very slim chance the satellite could see it. As I headed out to make the message, Kaname and Urzu 6 remained behind to await my return."

"Since they got your message undoubtedly, how did you get out?"

"Al."

"Al?"

"Affirmative. Or perhaps I should say the Arm Slave I'm currently assigned to. The ARX-7 'Arbalest'. The AI's call sign is 'Al'. When my colleagues got the message, they sent 'Al' via ballistic missile to near our position. Once I had gotten inside, I received a recorded message from my Commander with the 'SRT'. He explained that our base of operations was running parallel to the shore and would meet us at a specific time. We nearly didn't make it, but, thanks to Kaname, we did."

"What did you do, Kaname?"

"I'm not entirely sure myself, Miss Kagurazaka. But, know this. Sousuke and I are taking a massive chance in trusting you. Under normal circumstances, Sousuke would kill those that find out about him. Especially if they don't have his clearance or if he suspects treachery. Please, don't tell anyone about what we told you in good faith."

In a daze, Miss Kagurazaka turns to Sousuke and asks, "Have you ever killed anyone other than that Gauron guy?"

"Affirmative. I've killed men so evil, the less you know about them, the easier you'll sleep."

Gulping, she then asks, "Were there ever traitors to Mithril?"

Kaname nods and replies, "Two of them, on the mobile base. One killed a guy watching Gauron with him and helped Gauron escape. Another killed an Officer with the 'SRT'. His body was being dragged into a corner when I came upon the scene. Tessa helped me make a break for it and I met back up with Sousuke."

"Tessa? You mean Miss Testarossa?"

"Affirmative. She's my Captain and our friend, Miss Kagurazaka. Don't let her age fool you. She truly is one of my superior Officers."

"Then I was too late in telling you not to show her your dangerously twisted perspective of the world, as she had already seen it. She must be very strong to go through the madness you put her through, along with Miss Chidori. It's a wonder I haven't lost my mind yet."

"While it's true the Captain is strong, as is Kaname, but she's still human like Kaname is. Perhaps more human than I am. When we got to our island base, Kaname encouraged me to cheer her up. Instead, she wound up crying on my shoulder. We had lost two good men, all because of two traitors on the mobile base and someone in one of our higher offices."

Slumping her head down, she asks, "What were their names and did they have families?"

"Leading Seaman Lian Shaopin and Lieutenant Gail McAllen. They were both with the 'SRT'. As to if they had families or not, I'm not entirely sure. The traitors were dumped at sea, as was supposedly Gauron. Somehow, that man had survived the blast when Venom self-destructed. As I said earlier, he was harder to kill than a ninja cockroach. Here, let me show you something." Sousuke then removes his fatigue shirt, revealing a tank top. Miss Kagurazaka can't help but gasp at the amount of scars and his muscle tone.

"This scar on my upper left bicep is from a bullet fired by one of the traitors. He was trying to kill Kaname, but I wouldn't let him. In the end, he took four bullets in his chest and died. I apologized to Kaname for my remarks earlier and we joined forces to save the day."

Getting a cross look on her face, Miss Kagurazaka asks, "What apology and what remarks?"

"Uh."

"Well?"

"Ma'am, a piece of equipment on 'Arbalest' failed to activate, resulting in an injury to one of my comrades. After Gauron had been taken prisoner, I returned to the mobile base. That's when 'it' happened. Kaname tried to console me, but I felt like I should punish myself because my colleague had gotten hurt. I said some pretty hurtful things to Kaname and she ran off. When Urzu 6 confronted me, he told me I made her cry." He then looks over at Kaname and she sits down beside him, taking his hand into hers.

Kaname takes over. "When Sousuke found me, I was in the Galley, fighting for my life against the traitor that Sousuke ultimately killed. He apologized to me and told me that I'm not a burden. If it hadn't been for me, he'd be dead already. Literally. He's still alive because I've always been around for him. Before my return flight, Sousuke invited me to do some fishing with him. Almost immediately, I had a fish on the line. Of course, I would have gone swimming if it hadn't been for Sousuke. He wrapped his arms around me from behind. It was so delightful. But, the fish got away."

"Darn. It must have been strong, going up against you two. So, did you do any swimming during that time?"

"Well, now that you mention it, Lieutenant Lunacy here had gotten a message during our flight during our trip there. He had me change into my bathing suit, attached a harness to me when I came back out and hurled us both out the door. In mid-air, no less."

Miss Kagurazaka's eyebrow twitches as she asks, "You jumped, out of an airplane, in mid-air, just because you got a message?"

"Affirmative, ma'am. It seems that a chemical weapons storage facility had been taken control of. Gauron was in charge of the group. Of course, we didn't find out until it was too late it was part of a plan to take control of our base and destroy it."

"Well, it's a good thing you survived. I'll keep it to myself, Sousuke and Kaname. Even though I find it hard to believe, I know you're telling me the truth. Sousuke, just how long was your assignment supposed to be?"

"Initially, it was supposed to be until we had destroyed the KGB's facility. But, my superior decided some Insurance would be in order for Kaname."

"So that's what you meant by you're her Insurance Agent and Policy. It even extends to the child within Kaname. Any names come to mind?"

"Actually, we already have a name selected, Miss Kagurazaka."

"What's that, Kaname?"

"Sagara. Sousuke Sagara Jr."

"I don't know if I should be proud or frightened of you, given your reputation, Sagara. Could I get a closer look at the ring, Kaname?"

"Sure." She then extends her left hand to Miss Kagurazaka and smiles as she explains it. "Sousuke decided to blend our two worlds together. The Cherry Blossom for mine and the grenade for Sousuke's. I must admit, being around Sousuke has paid off rather well. The grenade is that of the baseball-shaped fragmentation grenade. The detail is quite extraordinary."

Miss Kagurazaka can only sigh and chuckle as she backs away from Kaname's hand. "Indeed it is, Miss Chidori. Sousuke, did you ever save lives before coming here to Tokyo?"

"Affirmative. Before our mission here, we dealt with a situation in Khabarovsk."

"An old Soviet suburb?"

"Affirmative, Miss Kagurazaka. Are you sure you're only a civilian teacher?"

Miss Kagurazaka can only laugh as she replies, "I'm sure, Sousuke. So, what happened?"

"We had gotten word that a Soviet Soldier was going to help a young woman escape from a KGB facility. Myself, Urzus 2 and 6 were assigned to assist in the extraction. However, an enemy Hind knocked the vehicle off of the road, killing the Soldier. The young woman had been thrown clear of the vehicle. The Hind's pilot then decided to play a game of 'Cat and Mouse' with her."

Kaname asks, "How'd he play it?"

"With the Hind's guns. I felt that enough was enough. I had my M9 release a hidden compartment, with an Anti-Armor Dagger inside it. I had the M9 throw the dagger and it went into the side of the Hind. Then, it started listing toward the young woman. I then grabbed the Hind and moved it away from the young woman before throwing it to the ground."

Miss Kagurazaka asks, "Why didn't you use 'Arbalest'?"

"Back then, I didn't have access to it. Besides, I'm used to the M9, but I'm also working on improving my relation skills with the AI."

"I see. But, that move you were talking about. Wrestling a Hind to the ground? I didn't think it would be possible."

"That's Sousuke for you. He can give you conclusions on certain things based on their specs. That includes their capability when it comes to doing things like that. I even had the opportunity to sit in an M9 with my limbs in the control waldos. I guess you might say I felt kinda like Sousuke must have felt when he sat in an M9 for the first time. Of course, he'd be subdued about the whole thing, but I was excited."

Miss Kagurazaka nods before remembering what Sousuke had said earlier and says, "A while ago, you said you shot Gauron while Street Hawk did the same thing. Why was Street Hawk there with you?"

"He was helping me rescue my cousin, Luke."

Miss Kagurazaka's eyes bulge out as she asks, "You have a cousin? Named Luke?"

"Affirmative." He then goes on to tell her about Gauron having created the Sho-Da-Kah, Mithril and Team Hawk joining forces and Luke's rescue. Along with when Kaname had told him about her news. Miss Kagurazaka takes it well, for the most part.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours." She then passes right out again.

Kaname can't help but chuckle as she says, "If she took it that well, I'd say it's a good thing you didn't tell her we saw Team Hawk's members' faces."

"Affirmative. Thinking of which, I believe we have a letter to send off, Kaname."

"Indeed we do, Sousuke."

At that, Kaname puts the letter into an envelope and Sousuke puts the necessary postage onto it. Kaname then writes the destination and return addresses onto the envelope. When she's done, Sousuke nods, takes the letter to the nearest mail receptacle and drops it on in.

"I hope you're well, Team Hawk." As Sousuke goes back into the building, a shadowy figure is lurking in the shadows, looking toward Sousuke's apartment.

The figure then smiles and says, "Very soon, Miss Chidori. You will be away and free from that otaku loser." As the figure makes to walk away, it trips and knocks over a garbage can. "Who put that there?"

Back inside the apartment, Kaname is feeling like she's being watched. Heading for the window, she hears a trash can being knocked over and figures it was a stray cat. She then looks around the apartment and sees that Sousuke still doesn't have one thing that a regular person does.

"He still doesn't have a television in here. When he comes back inside, I'll ask him to bring my television over from the apartment. Tomorrow, I'll arrange for switching the addresses over to here. Just one more thing to help Sousuke adapt to Japanese society even more." Her face then pales as she imagines the unlikely.

'Sousuke, as a couch potato? Not good or happening! He's going to stay active, with only an hour of television per day, just to get him started a little at a time.'

"A nuclear warhead for your thoughts, Kaname."

Kaname giggles as she turns around, wraps her arms around Sousuke's trunk and buries her head into his chest. "Nothing much, Sousuke. Just thought of another way to help you integrate into Japanese society a little more."

"How's that, Kaname?"

"You don't have a television set, Sousuke. Don't you get bored, just from watching me or cleaning your guns?"

"Negative. Before, they were part of my job. Now, cleaning guns is a task while watching over you will be enjoyable."

Both teens blush at that before Kaname clears her throat and goes on. "That's very sweet of you, Sousuke. In any case, if you're going to convince people that you are what you appear to be, you're going to need a television set in here. In your case, we'll start off small. An hour per day, just to get you started. Since you're the active type, an hour would be all you'd need to unwind with."

"Roger. Any ideas as to where I could get one from? I'm afraid the major stores are closed right now."

"It's not a problem, Sousuke. You could bring the television from my apartment. Here's my key."

"Roger. I'm guessing you'll be having the bills sent here from now on."

"That's right, Sousuke." She then pecks Sousuke's lips and softly says, "Be careful, honey."

"I will, sweetie." Before he can step out the door, Kaname lets out a yelp. "Kaname?"

Looking back toward her, he sees she has a smile on her face. "Kaname, what is it?"

"He moved. Our baby moved, Sousuke. Here, give me your hand." Kaname takes Sousuke's hand and puts it onto her belly. Three seconds later, Sousuke and Kaname feel the baby move. "I can already tell he's going to be like you, Sousuke. You may be good at standing still, but you're always on the move." Kaname can't help but giggle at the contradiction in terms.

She then looks at Sousuke's face and sees his usual perplexed look. "You all right, honey?"

"Affirmative, darling. It's just that I'm experiencing this and it's a lot to take in. I can't even find the words to describe how I feel."

"Yeah, I know what you mean, Sousuke. But, I promise you this. No matter what happens, our baby will have the childhood that you were so cruelly denied. Your parents may not have seen you grow up, but I bet they'll be very proud of you. I know I am." She then cups her palm into Sousuke's cheek and kisses him softly, adding, "It's a good thing the morning sickness passed. I'm thinking about eating tonight."

"Anything in particular, Kaname?"

"Yeah. When you go back out after bringing the television here, bring back a Naco with chocolate syrup, if you please."

"Naco with chocolate syrup, roger." As Sousuke leaves the apartment building, he elects to go to the Tamagawa District's Bueno Nacho and then to Kaname's apartment to get her television.

Three minutes later, Kaname is thinking about the classes that she and Sousuke would be taking together. Suddenly, there's a knock at the door. Remembering she's in Sousuke's apartment, she goes to one of the points he has handguns at and brings out a .44 magnum Desert Eagle.

"I may be pregnant, but I'm still strong enough to handle this piece. Or at least I hope so." Priming it, she goes to the door, Desert Eagle in hand, and asks, "Who is it?"

"Miss Chidori, it's the guy who wants to be your main squeeze still."

At that point, Kaname is sorely tempted to fire off a round through the door. "Mr. Shirai, get this through your thick head. I am not interested in a relationship with you. Even with your membership in the JSDF. How'd you know where I was anyway?"

"Mizuki called me three hours ago, on post, and preened about how you and Sagara are getting married and having a baby. Please tell me it's not true!"

"Actually, it is." Kaname can't help but smile cruelly as she hears Shirai's moan and groan. "Why did you join the JSDF anyway?"

"I figured if an otaku like Sagara could steal your heart, a real Soldier could steal your heart from that otaku freak."

'Sousuke's more Soldier and man than you'll ever be.' She then verbally retorts, "At least he's not so full of himself, unlike you. Now, I suggest you leave before you get shot."

"He's not in there, Miss Chidori. How can he shoot me? Besides, you don't know anything about guns. Now, why don't you open the door and I'll get you out of here to see some good people with degrees."

"I don't think so." With that, she aims high and shoots off a round. "Next round will not be a warning shot. Is that understood?" The only thing she hears in reply is Shirai's footsteps as he runs away at a ridiculously high rate of speed. "All I gotta do now is wait for Sousuke to return."

Fifteen minutes later, Kaname hears another knocking at the door. Thinking it might be Shirai again, she picks up the Desert Eagle, thinking, 'He's certainly persistent.' She then asks, "Who is it?"

"B-3128."

"Hold on, Sousuke." When she opens the door, she sees her television and a Bueno Nacho bag, but no Sousuke. "Sousuke?"

"Right here, Kaname. Could you get the bag off of the television, please?"

"Oh." Grinning, Kaname takes the Bueno Nacho bag off of the television and sees her beau's face. "How'd it go, Sousuke?"

"Extraction happened without major incident. I had to explain to your landlady that I was merely there at your request to remove the television from your apartment and transfer it over to here. She'll be over here in five minutes to verify, as I don't have a regular phone."

"Oh well. It's not a problem, Sousuke." As she eats the Naco, she guides Sousuke over to where the television would be less subject to glaring light from the windows. When it's all done, they both smile in approval at how much Kaname had picked up from Sousuke.

"Kaname, you did a spectacular job in spotting me."

"Thank you, Sousuke. You did a wonderful job in teaching me some of your skills during our vacation."

Sousuke catches the tone in her voice and asks, "What happened, Kaname?"

"Shirai came by here while you were out. He wanted me to be with him. But I convinced him otherwise with the Desert Eagle. He should be halfway to Okinawa by now." Both teens exchange a laugh before yawning and turning in for the night.

Sousuke makes to get underneath his bed, but Kaname convinces him otherwise. Kaname opens her arms and welcomes Sousuke into them, giving him a passionate and tender kiss. Sousuke returns the kiss.

Later that night, Miss Kagurazaka opens her eyes and sees it's night outside. Not seeing Sousuke or Kaname anywhere, she decides to look for them. When she gets to the door for Sousuke's room, she softly opens it and sees them sleeping and holding each other. Wearing content smiles on their faces. Smiling softly, she closes the bedroom door back and makes her way out of Sousuke's apartment. Very quietly.

Suddenly, she hears Sousuke's voice. "It's a little too dangerous at night, Miss Kagurazaka. Why don't you stay the night and make your way home in the morning then?"

Thinking she's hearing things, she turns around and sees Sousuke awake. Accepting his advice, she smiles and heads back for the couch, asking, "Any idea as to what your classes should be, Mr. Sagara?"

"Well, seeing that 'Guerrilla Tactics' is not on the curriculum at the high school, neither are 'Ambush Tactics' or 'Negotiating With Terrorists', we've been thinking about 'Child Care'.

"Well, I understand the first two, but why the third? I thought you shoot terrorists."

"I do. Right in the head. We call it 'Negotiation'." That has Miss Kagurazaka laughing, with Sousuke right behind her.

"Yeah, I can imagine it. A teacher would ask, 'What's the best method of negotiating with a terrorist?' Your reply would naturally be, 'Shooting the terrorist right between the eyes'. Of course, who's to say you can't be the teacher, Mr. Sagara? After all, you know more about that than we do."

"I'll think about it, Miss Kagurazaka. Good night."

"Good night, Sousuke." As he returns to the bedroom, she softly says, "I hope he'll be ready for his newest classmate, or at least the new kid will be ready for him and Sagara's twisted perspective of the world." With those thoughts in mind, Miss Kagurazaka turns in, her mind still buzzing over all that she had learned.

The next day, Sousuke and Kaname wake up, smile at each other and go about their day. First on their agenda is go to Jindai High School to sign up for their classes. After giving the Principal an explanation for their desire to share classes, they get approval and a hearty congratulations on their news.

As the two teens leave her office, the matronly woman closes the door, sighs and says, "The wedding and birth will either be wonderful or very scary. Those two are certainly made for each other. I just can't believe the progress young Sagara had made in his past two years here. If his parents were alive, I'm sure they'd be very proud of his progress."

Their next stop is the Agency handling Kaname's television service. After convincing the workers behind the desk, in a non-threatening manner on Sousuke's part, they're able to get the billing addresses changed.

When they get home, they get ready for their double date with Shinji and Kyoko. Sousuke is cleaning his SPP when there's a knock at the door. He looks through the peephole and grins, seeing it's Shinji and Kyoko. He then decides to have a little fun.

"Who goes there?"

Shinji's voice replies, "Shinji Kazama and Kyoko Tokiwa."

"State your business."

Kyoko smiles softly and replies, "We're here for a double date with Sousuke Sagara and Kaname Chidori. Are they about?"

"Affirmative. Wait one." They then hear the locks unlocking and smile when they see Sousuke. "Hello, Shinji and Kyoko."

"Hello, Sousuke. Is Kaname ready?"

"I'm ready, Kyoko. So, Lieutenant Lunacy, what's our first stop?"

"I'm thinking 'Fumo-Fumo Land'. After that, we can swing by Narashino and see how the troops are faring in their teamwork."

"I don't believe it, Sousuke. You just planned a date to satisfy both our worlds. My world first, then yours. You're so sweet."

Shinji then asks, "What do you mean by worlds, Kaname? Is Sousuke from another planet or are you speaking in terms of the otaku world?"

"Otaku world, Shinji. After all, the ring he had ordered for me is a custom job. What could be more custom or sweeter than a ring that blends our two worlds together?" At that, Shinji and Kyoko nod their understanding as the group leaves Sousuke and Kaname's apartment.

Along the way to their first destination, Kaname and Kyoko talk about their classes to see what classes they would be having together while Sousuke and Shinji discuss Arm Slaves.

"Sousuke, have you heard anything new on the M9 Gernsback yet? I've been monitoring 'AS Fan' and so far, no mention of a scheduled date of release to the Armed Forces. Other than that rescue squad that used M9s, no one else seems to have it."

"Negative. Chances are, the manufacturers are keeping close tabs on their projected release date. Very close tabs. It's not a problem."

"I guess, so. What's your opinion on the RK-92 Savage?"

"It would have to be formidable, though slightly absurd in design. Whoever decided to make it look like a frog on steroids needs to have their head examined or blown off."

"That's pretty dark, Sousuke. Maybe you need to taper off a bit, if only for Kaname's sake and your baby's."

"Hmm, I'll keep that in mind, Shinji. I'll keep that in mind."

"Although, I do agree on the absurdity in design. But, where did you come up with that crack about the Savage looking like a frog on steroids?"

"Oh, just a group of friends we met at an otaku convention in Denver Colorado. Very nice and funny they are."

Behind them, Kaname and Kyoko are whispering and giggling, with Kyoko doing the most giggling. "He actually did that? Inside the store?"

"Oh yeah. I think the guy in the costume really ticked him off enough for him to use a concussion grenade."

"Well, I just hope Bonta-kun doesn't give Sousuke any attitude. He looks like he's ready to spit nails at anyone that crosses his path."

"I don't doubt that, Kyoko. Now, how did Shinji approach you for the date?"

"Well, it was a couple of days after you and Sousuke left. We were walking through the park when Shinji suddenly stopped and blurted it out."

"He blurted it out?"

Kyoko nods and smiles softly as she goes on. "That's right, Kaname. He just stopped and blurted that he'd like to go out with me. I never thought he'd show such boldness. Just like that day by the pool after Sousuke nearly drowned and he showed his boldness."

'Oh, if only you knew Sousuke's truth, Kyoko. If only you knew.' Kaname then smiles, strokes her belly and replies, "That may be true, Kyoko. But, Sousuke's still an innocent in some ways. However, we seem to have changed that in each other in the past few months."

Kyoko nods and giggles as they get to Fumo-Fumo Land. They buy their tickets and go for the first available ride. The Ferris Wheel. Once they're inside, they take a seat inside the car, unaware that someone had been following them the whole way. As the Ferris Wheel starts, Kaname takes Sousuke's hand into hers and softly squeezes it. That's when Kyoko notices something amiss.

"Where's your ring, Sousuke?"

"Is it that important, Kyoko? I had no idea."

"It is, Sousuke. It's to let everyone know you're getting married."

"I see. Since I doubt the jewelry stores would have customization shops and we don't have time to fly back to Middleton, there's only one viable option."

'Oh no. He's going to end it.' Kaname shakes with anger and sadness until she sees Sousuke bring out a grenade. "What are you doing, Sousuke?"

"Making myself a ring, Kaname. However, this will be precarious at best. Weird and dangerous at the worst." He then pulls the pin and asks, "Shinji, would you be so kind as to hold the grenade tightly?"

A very nervous Shinji can only nod weakly as he takes the grenade into his hands and clutches it in a death grip. All three then watch Sousuke as he brings out a multi-tool and start modifying the pull ring on the pin by removing the ring first. He then slides the pin into the safety catch on the grenade so Shinji can relax his white-knuckle grip.

Shinji breathes a sigh of relief as he puts the grenade beside him on the seat. Kaname then smiles as she watches Sousuke straighten out the pull ring, then roll the wire loosely over his left ring finger. They all breathe a sigh of relief as Sousuke clips the excess wire off and nods his approval.

"All right. Now, to redo the pull ring and put it back into the pin. Shinji, if you please."

"Coming right up, Sousuke." As Shinji brings up the grenade, his grip causes the pin to slip out and fall to the ground. "Um, Sousuke, you wouldn't happen to have any extra pins, would you?"

"Negative, Shinji. The only way to save our lives now is to open the door and drop the grenade out toward an area that has no life within it." Sousuke then opens the door, ignoring the shouts of the other people to close the door. "Shinji, when I tell you to, hand me the grenade, very carefully."

"Okay, Sousuke."

Sousuke then says, "Now." When Shinji hands Sousuke the grenade, he throws it into a series of bushes and closes the door. Next thing the people in the amusement park know, an explosion of leaves and a frightened young man jumping out of the exploding bushes happens.

When their car reaches the ground, they make a hasty exit for the pathway, not wanting to cross anyone's path. Of course, since people saw what had happened, they laughed and cheered at the man's reaction as the bushes exploded.

As they clear Fumo-Fumo Land, Kaname looks over at Sousuke and smirks, saying, "You did what you could, Sousuke. Besides, that was pretty cool the way you handled the pin falling out of the grenade. It was a concussion one, I hope."

"Affirmative."

"Then, why did you say to save our lives, Sousuke?" Kyoko nods in agreement with Shinji's question.

"A concussion grenade has enough explosive force to render the Ferris Wheel unsafe while in motion. All it would take was one explosion within a confined space and we'd be dead from the impact with the ground. With other people as well, possibly."

They all nod in agreement with Sousuke's statement, not seeing a shaken and leaf-covered Shirai come around the corner, his eyes burning in hatred toward the 'otaku'. He then shakes it off and follows them to their next destination.

When the group reaches Narashino, Shirai thinks it's the perfect opportunity to wrench Kaname away from Sousuke. However, an ever-vigilant Sousuke spots him at the gate and smiles sinisterly.

"Sousuke?"

"Don't worry, Shinji. It's not a problem that's difficult to resolve. Kaname, go on ahead and wait for me on the benches, if you please."

"You got it, Sousuke. Come on, Kyoko."

"But, Kaname! I'm sensing a photo opportunity here!"

"There'll be others. After all, Sousuke's best blasts are always at school."

"True. But I think this'll be good for the others to see."

Kaname then sighs and says, "Okay, Kyoko. But stay out of sight. When you get the picture, come join me on the bench. Shinji, you coming?"

"No, Kaname. I'd better stay with Kyoko, just in case."

"Well, hello again, Miss Kaname." All three turn around and see Captain Akagi from the Nerima Base. "It's nice to see you again. So, where's your boyfriend, the secret weapon at?"

"Oh, he's not my boyfriend. In fact, he's my Fiance now." She then turns and gives him a side profile. "He's even going to be a Father to our child. So, on that note, back off you freak!"

"Oh, don't be that way, Miss Kaname." Before he can say anything else, an explosion happens at the front gate. Kyoko peeks around the corner and giggles as she takes a picture.

"This would have to be my best picture yet, Kaname." She then turns the tiny camera around so Kaname can see the picture and laugh at it.

The picture is of Sousuke punching a dazed Shirai out like a light after seemingly put a concussion grenade down Shirai's trousers. Captain Akagi boils with fury at how his subordinate had been treated at Sousuke's hands.

"Tell your Fiance I will see him on the field. Thirty minutes. The Type 96, if he dares." To his horror, Kaname smiles sweetly and sadistically at the same time.

"I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, Captain Akagi." At that, the blond womanizer from Nerima weakly nods his head and walks away from a still smiling Kaname.

Sure enough, Kaname tells Sousuke about the challenge Akagi had issued him and he accepts the challenge. Needless to say, the duel was not pretty. At the end of it, Akagi learned a very important lesson. Do not tangle with an expectant woman or her Fiance. Especially when the Fiance is adept at operating Arm Slaves for some unknown reason. Sousuke and Kaname go home, with Shinji and Kyoko right behind them. The two couples say good night and head on into their respective homes. Later that evening, Sousuke and Kaname are watching the News together when a story catches their eyes.

"_In Miami Florida today, the War Bird helicopter pulled off a rescue at sea, saving the life of an eight month old baby boy. Details are still sketchy, but reportedly, the baby's parents were arrested on as yet unspecified charges. We'll have more on this story as it develops."_

The picture on the screen shows War Bird firing her weapon into the air and yelling at the reporters to back off before someone gets hurt.

Kaname frowns and says, "Looks like Bonnie's angry behind her visor, Sousuke."

"Agreed. I suggest keeping a close eye on this story. It just might be prudent to do so." He then scowls and adds, "I'm going to shower. Just watching that is making me feel dirty and sick at the same time."

Waggling her eyebrows, Kaname asks, "Care for some company, honey?"

"Negative. The shower water will be very hot. Quite unsuitable for your delicate condition, Kaname."

Nodding disappointedly, Kaname says, "Okay, good point, Sousuke. How did you hear about that, though?"

"Ron."

"Ah. Enjoy your shower, Sousuke."

"Roger." At that, Sousuke goes into the shower. Five minutes later, she can hear him singing off-key. This prompts her to start laughing softly. 'He may not sing very well, but he's an excellent soldier.'

Trying to stifle her laughter, Kaname softly strokes her belly and says, "When you start speaking, first thing I'm doing is giving you singing lessons. Your Father can teach you everything else that he knows about."

"Kaname?"

"ACK! Sousuke! Next time I talk to Luke, I'm going to ask him about your birthday. So I can get you a bell for you to wear when you're home." She then wraps Sousuke in a warm embrace and slightly jerks when she feels movement within her womb.

"Kaname!"

Kaname smiles up at Sousuke, takes his hand, puts it onto her four month belly and says, "He moved again, Sousuke. Our baby moved again." A minute later, Sousuke feels it too. "Doesn't it feel wonderful?"

"I can't quite describe it. This is still very new to me too, Kaname. Yet, it's not an unpleasant sensation I'm feeling."

Kaname softly smiles as she kisses Sousuke and says, "We'll get you ready yet, Sousuke."

"Hmm, affirmative."

The rest of the month goes by for Sousuke and Kaname. The next week, they find out the parents of the baby were actors on the soap opera 'Agony County', a show that Kaname couldn't really stand, and had died while imprisoned while waiting for trial. The next week is quiet until Kaname opens their mailbox and sees their first piece of shared mail.

A smile on her face, Kaname goes inside the apartment and says, "We've got mail, Sousuke."

"Who from, Kaname?"

"It's Bonnie. Let's read it together."

"Roger." At that, the couple take a seat and open the envelope together. They read her messages to their friends and about what had happened after Bonnie had gotten her beep. Along with her flight and emergency situation in Hazzard. Kaname winds up laughing over Bonnie's 'Alien Routine' and electing that she should go into acting.

Sousuke is even pleased that even corrupt people can have scruples at times. At that, the letter ends with the news that the baby boy is alive and well, living with a nice, young, unwed couple in Hazzard. With the names of Enos Strate and Daisy Duke.

Kaname shudders as she puts the letter down and asks, "How can people be so heartless, Sousuke? I mean, leaving a baby to die for no good reason?"

"I'm as dismayed as you are, Kaname. Yeah, sure, we're inexperienced, but it wouldn't justify what they did."

"Yeah, it's a good thing we're taking our classes together, Sousuke. That way, we can get equal amounts of 'Life Training' in before we graduate."

"Roger." At that, the young couple turns in for the night, hoping their son will be born into a world that's a little more caring.

Author's Notes: Whoo, this one took a while, writing in conjunction with 'Hazzardous Sitch'. If you want to see Bonnie's letter, check out the last chapter of 'Hazzardous Sitch'. In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, seriously. Next month is 'Back to School', month 5. Later.


	3. Back To School Month 5

Seven Months p 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Panic! Wish I did though.

Back to School: Month 5

Three weeks later, on the morning they go back to school, Sousuke and Kaname wake up beside each other on Sousuke's bed. It had taken her a while, but she finally got Sousuke to stop sleeping underneath his bed. Kaname smiles at his rugged face as she strokes it and kisses him softly on his lips.

"Hmm, good morning, Sousuke."

"Good morning, Kaname. Looking forward to today?"

"As you would say, affirmative. How about you?"

"I'll just play it by ear, just like during our vacation."

"Yeah, by ear. Of course, some explosions along the way should relieve some of the boredom."

"Roger." Before Kaname can tell Sousuke she was joking about the explosions, Sousuke is already out of the bed and heading for his explosive ordnance locker. "Hmm, let's see. Two wedges of C-4, two concussion grenades and two fragmentary grenades. Now for a gun."

As Sousuke busies himself with getting his ordnance together, Kaname can't help but sigh helplessly then chuckle. 'Of all the things I had to practically say, it's let's have some blasts along the way, Sousuke.' With that thought, she gets out of the bed, strokes her now five-month belly and softly smiles.

'Everyone on the faculty has been understanding, along with the others. I hope we don't encounter any unpleasant people on the way to school. If we do, Sousuke would just tear them apart. Even worse, I just might join him in it, even with my pregnancy.'

She then feels Sousuke Jr move within her womb again and smiles even softer. "Now, now, baby. It's not time for you to come out, yet. I still need to fully housebreak your Father before you're born. So far, everything is going pretty good. So, please just be patient a while longer, baby." Putting her left hand on her belly, she tilts her head to admire the engagement ring and smiles at it.

'He may put practicality on everything else, but this is the first time he did a beautiful piece of jewelry out of love.' Taking off her nightshirt and going into Sousuke's shower, she adjusts the temperature to ensure that she doesn't cook on the inside. Suddenly, she hears the shower door open and smiles when she feels Sousuke's hands cup her breasts from behind. Along with his member on one cheek of her rear.

"Hmm, I like that, Sousuke. But we better hurry if we want to get to school on time. It's a good thing I'm not feeling so tender there though." She then squirms as she feels Sousuke kiss her neck and smiles as he strokes her belly from behind still. In response, she reaches back and strokes his member, a smirk growing on her face.

"Roger." Next thing he knows, she gets onto her knees and takes his member into her mouth. "Kaname?"

"Relax, Sousuke. Just go with it, honey." As her head bobs back and forth, Sousuke ponders the twists of life and just how lucky he is to be engaged along with being a Father-to-be.

Five minutes later, the two young lovebirds get out and get dressed. Kaname puts on a pair of Sousuke's fatigues for until her Maternity-sized clothing arrives. The fatigues are large enough to cover her belly, yet she can't help wanting to show the world she's happily and proudly pregnant.

Seeing her in his fatigues, Sousuke does the same thing, having read that couples would dress like each other at times. When Kaname sees him in a set of fatigues, he explains the research he had done on couples' dressing manners at times. After his explanation, she pictures Sousuke wearing a slightly smaller version of her usual school uniform and immediately laughs.

"Kaname?"

"Just a very amusing thought, Sousuke." When she tells him about it, his jaw drops and his face goes pale white. "Next time you read something like that, think about what I told you. Oh, let's see how subtle you can be today."

"Roger. I'll be subtle. I'm good at subtle." Sousuke's voice had been so soft, she nearly couldn't hear it. Instead of chastising him, she softly caresses his cheek and smiles warmly.

"I appreciate the thought of couples' dressing habits, though, Sousuke. Think of this as our bond being even stronger."

"Roger." This time, his voice is more audible, yet gentle.

"I definitely have more work to do on you."

"Oh? When did you find time to practice Medicine, Kaname?"

"Sousuke?"

"Usually, when someone is being worked on, the person working on them is proficient in the Medical Field." Kaname can't help but laugh softly as she takes Sousuke's arm and pulls them both out of their shared apartment.

"That's about three jokes now, Sousuke. If I'm not careful, you might wind up doing stand-up comedy in a Karaoke Bar soon." Leaning over, she then kisses him, whispering, "I wouldn't trade you for anything. Not even to stop being 'Whispered'."

"I wouldn't want to trade you either. Not even to become a regular man and not be a 'Specialist'." He returns the peck, causing Kaname to huddle into him.

"I fell in love with a 'Specialist', Sousuke. I'm going to marry that 'Specialist' and bear his children. Starting with this one." She then places Sousuke's hand onto her belly and gives him another quick peck on the underside of his chin.

"Kaname."

"Sousuke." The couple leave the apartment building and make their way to the train station to get from the Tamagawa district to the Sengawa district. Suddenly, they both hear a voice they'd prefer not hearing. Kaname in particular.

"Oh, Miss Chidori!"

"Not him again! Sousuke, any chance you can blow up Mr. Shirai with one of your grenades?"

"Affirmative. I think I'll use a concussion grenade." Bringing it out, Sousuke pulls the pin and throws it backward. Three seconds later, a loud blast and Shirai's screaming is audible. "Will that work, Kaname?"

"Yeah, it'll do, Sousuke. After all, like you say, peaceful solutions are the best ones. But, I think that was way too peaceful. Some cuts would have gotten the point across." She then covers her mouth and nervously smiles. "This pregnancy is causing me to become somewhat bloodthirsty, Sousuke."

"Negative, Kaname. I've been doing some reading on this. Right now, you're having very drastic mood swings. Moods vary from depressed to what you were just now feeling. It's not a problem." Kaname can't help but smile as they reach the train station for the train to Sengawa.

"Thanks for that reassurance, Sousuke. Any time you say that, it really helps." At that, they get their tickets and board the train. The scene on the train causes them to seriously ponder getting a car. The whole train is packed with people.

"Why today of all days for the train to be heavily packed? Can't these people drive at all?"

"I don't know, Kaname. I'm thinking it could be plot to separate us from one another by an unknown party, just for you to be abducted." Kaname can't help but smile at this.

"At least we know you're still on duty, Sousuke."

"To paraphrase an old line, Kaname, 'I'm always on duty'."

Kaname rolls her eyes at that and blushes as she kisses Sousuke. Much to their surprise, the people on the train give them applause and whistles as they separate from the kiss.

"That was fun, wasn't it?"

"Affirmative, Kaname. Shall we tell the others of Bonnie's reply?"

"Already one step ahead of you. I wrote down Bonnie's replies to each thing they had written. So that way they couldn't see what the whole letter said, if they were to be curious. After all, it really wouldn't do for them to see the whole letter."

"Very clever, Kaname. I guess being around me is paying off for you."

"Yeah, it certainly is, Sousuke." She then looks at the ring made from the pull-ring of a concussion grenade and smirks. "Only you would have an idea like that, Sousuke. Strangely enough, it's beautiful, yet it needs something more on it."

"Let me see, young man. I might be able to help you." An elderly gentleman had overheard them. He smiles at the young couple and explains, "I'm a jeweler by trade, so I'm pretty good at evaluations and appraisals."

"Understood." Sousuke sends his hand forward, allowing the gentleman a closer look at it. "Essentially, it's composed of a pull-ring off of a concussion grenade. I removed the pull-ring and modified it slightly for it to fit on my finger."

The gentleman chuckles as he asks, "He's joking, isn't he?"

"No, he isn't sir. I was there when he did it. In the Ferris Wheel at Fumo-Fumo Land. As were our friends Kyoko and Shinji. He even had my ring custom-made for me." She then smiles as she sends her hand his way.

The gentleman's jaw drops as he remarks, "Now that is a custom job. Not many prospective brides have Cherry Blossoms and grenades as settings for the stones. The detail is exquisite. How much?"

"How much what, sir?"

"How much to buy it? I'll give you ten million yen for it."

"Um, sir, I don't think I can or should part with this ring. Sousuke sank quite a bit into having this ring custom-made for me. The monetary value is massive, but the sentimental value is far higher. Because it's from Sousuke. So, on that note, your offer is kindly rejected." With that, she retracts her hand, only for the man to grab it back.

"Give me that ring! I want it!" He then gets decked by Sousuke.

"You ever touch my Fiancee's hand, or offer to buy her ring again, you will pay a much heavier price. Am I clear?" Sousuke opens his fatigue shirt just enough for the man to see his Glock in a shoulder holster. It was open enough to keep Kaname from seeing the gun. When the man's face pales, Sousuke nods as the train stops at their destination.

Kaname smiles as she takes Sousuke's arm into hers and whispers into the man's ear, "Never, ever, try to come between a young man's Fiancee and her ring. On that note, consider yourself lucky that Sousuke's being subtle today. As far as I can tell, he's very good at being subtle. Is that understood?" Without waiting for the man's reply, the young couple leave the train and smile at each other.

"That was very subtle, Sousuke."

"Affirmative."

At that, they clasp hands with each other and make their way to their destination. As they leave, they pay no mind to the Medical crew coming out of the office and heading for the train they had just gotten off of. In five minutes, they reach Jindai High School, where they see a black classic limousine arrive at the front.

"Hmm, I wonder who it's with, Sousuke. It can't be my Father."

"I agree. Shall I do recon for a moment?"

"Nah. For all we know, it's probably someone with Mithril making a contribution in person."

"No, I don't think so, Kaname. Mithril normally makes contributions through bank transfers and couriers. No, my guess is we may be having a new student among us."

Kaname ponders this and shrugs as they go inside and head for their homeroom.

Inside, Miss Kagurazaka is pacing nervously within her classroom as she tries to take in what Sousuke and Kaname had told her the previous month about his actual purpose at the school. To say she found it unnerving to have a mercenary in her classroom would have to be an understatement. Yet, she recalls when her life was in danger from Gauron's gun. She shudders as she remembers it. She then smiles at the memory of Sousuke dropping his tray and having it appear to be accidental.

'He is a hero. A very young hero. I simply have to thank him.' At that point, she sees Sousuke and Kaname enter the classroom, both wearing fatigues. She watches them take their seats, right beside each other. 'They look so cute dressed like each other like that and Kaname's face is glowing with both maternal and romantic pride.'

She then sighs and says, "Mr. Sagara, Miss Chidori, up here please."

"Roger." At that, Sousuke helps Kaname up from her seat and the lovebirds go to the front of the classroom. "By your command, ma'am."

Miss Kagurazaka smiles softly and says, "I just want to say thank you for saving my life, Sousuke. I also recall an explosion after that one Arm Slave cut the baggage compartment open. Was there a bomb? Did you tell your people about it as well?"

"Affirmative. That bomb would have been enough to kill everybody on the plane just to mask Kaname's abduction. As for your thanks, it's not a problem. In the course of our duty, we protect the innocents."

"You're not in it for the glory, are you?"

"Negative, Miss Kagurazaka. Glory is not important. If I can save children the hardships I had to endure, that's good enough for me."

Kaname nods as she softly strokes Sousuke's arm and says, "Believe us when we say that Sousuke had faced a lot of hardships ever since his parents died. Quite frankly, it's a wonder he hadn't gone evilly psychotic like Gauron was. Basically, Gauron was miles and miles of bad road. Now that he's dead, you should be able to sleep soundly, knowing that Sousuke and his group are out there."

"Although you'd prefer he stay here. Right?"

"That's right, Miss Kagurazaka."

"I see your point. Okay, take your seats. Oh, you do realize you're not in uniform right now?"

"Affirmative, Miss Kagurazaka. Kaname's Maternity uniform should be arriving by today. She thought she'd borrow a set of my biggest fatigues. Although, I think she wants the world to see her lovely belly." Kaname blushes at that as she smiles proudly at her Fiance.

Miss Kagurazaka nods and replies, "I see. How do you feel about it, Sousuke?"

"Uh." That one question has him sweating 'bullets' yet again.

"Sousuke?"

"I'd like to see her belly showing through the clothing, ma'am." That has Kaname and Sousuke blushing rosily as Miss Kagurazaka laughs richly.

"Mr. Sagara, you'd definitely be a very proud and caring Father." At that, the class starts filtering in, with Principal Tsuboi right behind them. "Ah, Madam Principal. How can I help you?"

"You have a new student in your class. Go on in. Your caretakers should be here by the end of the day. Have a good day in class."

"I will, Madam Principal. Thank you." At that, a young man steps into the classroom. A young man that looks surprisingly familiar to Sousuke and Kaname.

Miss Kagurazaka closes the classroom door and thinks, 'I hope this one can survive Sagara's antics.' She then goes to the young man's side and takes in his appearance. Blond hair and blue eyes. Small and frail, yet filled with an unmatched will.

"Class, we have a new student. Go ahead, introduce yourself."

"Hello, I am Masatami Hyuga. It's very nice to meet you."

"Masatami is here for the duration of the school year. So, Sagara."

"Yes ma'am?"

"You are not to show Mr. Hyuga your dangerously twisted view of the world around you." She then mentally adds, 'Even though it's real.'

Before Sousuke can reply, Kaname raises her hand. "Yes, Miss Chidori?"

"I'm afraid it's a little too late for the advisory, Miss Kagurazaka. Masatami had already experienced Sousuke's world views the other summer."

"Kaname?" Masatami's eyes light up when he sees Kaname's smiling face. "What a surprise, Kaname."

"Right back at you, Masatami."

Confused, Masatami then asks, "Um, what did you mean by I had already experienced Sousuke's world views? The only danger I encountered was when a wall blew inward. Along with that knife the ruffian had and he had jumped off the balcony with you in his arms. My bodyguards were both amazed and devastated at what he had done."

"I see. You haven't been fully introduced yet. Masatami Hyuga, this is my Fiance, Sousuke Sagara." Masatami looks over to Kaname's right and gulps. "Sousuke, this is Masatami."

Sousuke nods, smiles and says, "Nice to meet you, Masatami. Do you remember what I told you that day?"

Nodding back, Masatami replies, "Yes. Don't deceive, don't be deceived. Don't show weakness, show your spirit."

Miss Kagurazaka's jaw drops as she asks, "He actually said that?"

"He did, Miss Kagurazaka. Wait a minute, Kaname. Did you say Sousuke's your Fiance?"

"Yep. That I did. And then some." She then gets up and turns to the side, a warm smile on her face. She then jolts when she feels movement within her womb again. "Oh, I better sit back down. Sousuke Jr wants me to take it easy if I'm not walking." Looking up at Masatami's face, she sees a smile on his lips.

"He finally told you, didn't he?"

"Told me what, Masatami?"

"How much he loves you. The day he came to the villa was the day he had to have revealed his heart."

"Um, no. We just got together about five months back. We finally got tired of dancing around our feelings and told each other how we feel about each other."

"Oh, I see."

At that, the bell rings, allowing the class to head for their respective classes. Sousuke decides to stop by his locker to rig a concussion grenade to it when he sees the last thing he'd ever want to see.

'Not this again.' He then opens his satchel, brings out a wedge of C-4 and presses it to the door. Kaname and Masatami are watching from around the corner. Kaname is with her predictable scowl and Masatami's looking frantically all around him.

He then asks, "Does he know what he's doing?"

"Oh, yeah. He's been blowing things up since he was about eight years old."

"He's going to blow something up? In here? Why?"

"Undoubtedly, he saw his tamper-alert system had been tripped. When it's tripped, he goes right to condition red, thinking it might be a hostile party that went into his locker."

"Who is it usually?"

"Let's see. Girls that would happen to have a crush on Sousuke to guys that want to challenge him to a duel. Most often, it's the latter."

"Should I spread the warning?"

"By all means, Masatami. And he was doing so well in being subtle."

In a highly agitated and freaked out voice, Masatami yells, "Clear the area! Clear the area! An explosion is about to happen!" With that warning, the students scatter just as the detonation happens.

KABOOM!

As the smoke clears, Kaname counts the times she had heard explosions within the school walls and nods at her math. "Just couldn't resist, could you, Sousuke?"

"I couldn't help it, Kaname. Someone has tampered with my locker again." He then sighs and adds, "Perhaps I should do as Miss Saeki suggested. Rig a concussion grenade, just to save time."

"Sousuke, I think she was just being sarcastic."

"Mr. Sagara, are you all right?"

"Affirmative, Miss Kagurazaka. It seems someone is intent on disrupting our happiness."

"Only you're ruining their plans, along with the school! Is that your goal in life? To reduce every building you enter to mere rubble?"

"Negative. My only goal is to keep my Fiancee and our unborn son safe. No matter what, I intend to accomplish my mission." With that, Sousuke loops his arm into Kaname's and they walk on, ignoring the destroyed letter.

Miss Kagurazaka picks up the destroyed letter, sighs and says, "I better tell the Principal about this. For some reason, people are treating Sagara like he's a normal teenager. Only he's not." She then mentally adds, 'Not with what I now know about him.'

As she makes her way to the Principal's office, a pair of eyes are flaming at the wreckage. However, the eyes soon become calm and calculating. 'If Miss Chidori loves Sagara for the explosions, then she'll come to me because I'll give her bigger explosions! I'm not done yet, Sagara! Not by a long shot!' At that, the skulking figure makes it's way to the doors and goes outside.

Five minutes later, Miss Kagurazaka arrives at Principal Tsuboi's office and gives her the situation. Both women know how Sousuke feels about people tampering with his locker and equally hoped the other students would have gotten the hint by now. But it seems there are some that seem either oblivious or they're just plain determined to get their way.

Principal Tsuboi ponders the situation before nodding and says, "Might as well look at it like this. Young Mr. Sagara is doing his best to adapt to this setting still. Yet some people don't seem to understand all the things he had been through. One hardship after another. It simply didn't give him time to grow up naturally. I'm sure he'll grow out of it before graduation. I think I'll take over the Child Care class. From my understanding, Mr. Sagara and Miss Chidori are in that class now. Correct?"

"Yes, Madam Principal."

"Very well. I'll see you later, Miss Kagurazaka." As Principal Tsuboi leaves the office, Miss Kagurazaka looks around the office before sighing.

"If I'm lucky enough, he'll grow out of it before the baby's born, let alone graduation. Then again, with a teenage mercenary, it's highly unlikely."

Meanwhile, Sousuke and Kaname, having learned their next class is in three minutes, make haste for the classroom. They arrive just in time to walk into the classroom. To the couple's surprise, Kyoko is in the class as well.

"Kyoko! What a surprise."

"Not really, Kaname. I've always loved the idea of caring for children. That's why I want to be a teacher or a day care worker. I figured this class would help me get some ideas on how to go about it."

Kaname nods as she says, "That makes sense, Kyoko. Yet, you didn't say anything about it when we went on our double date last month."

"Well, actually, another reason I decided to take this class was so I could see how badly, if at all, Sousuke mangles the material. Especially with what he does to Classical Japanese History."

"Ah. Well, something tells me you won't be disappointed, Kyoko. Yet, I think we should reserve judgment for after the first day in the class." Both girls giggle as Sousuke looks around the room, his 'Protector' role kicking in.

'All right. Windows are locked, yet the shades are up. If I were a sniper, this room would be the best target due to the trajectory from the tree outside.' His thoughts are interrupted as their teacher comes in.

"Good afternoon, class." All three turn in shock to see Principal Tsuboi is their teacher for this class. "I see Mr. Sagara and Miss Chidori are present for their course, as is Miss Tokiwa. I must admit, Mr. Sagara, we don't exactly get young men in here very often. But, given your circumstances in the past and present, it's quite refreshing, understandable and unique at the same time. I trust you will be very cautious with your weapons."

"Affirmative, Madam Principal." To prove his point, he unloads his pockets, causing Kyoko and Kaname to giggle. He then puts the weaponry into the desk and steps away from it.

Principal Tsuboi then smiles and says, "Our subject material should be arriving in a few minutes. Tokyo General was kind enough to spare two Mothers along with their newborns. As I am a Grandmother myself, I can help all those that have questions. Now, do any of you have concerns before class starts?" Her attention is then drawn to Sousuke.

"Mr. Sagara."

"Madam Principal, the trajectory angle based on this room suggests the tree outside would be a perfect perch for a sniper on the outside. Shall I draw the blinds, ma'am?"

She smiles softly and replies, "Of course, our resident otaku and Security expert does raise a valid point. Too much sun would be bad for newborn infants. Very much like a sniper's bullets would be. Proceed, Mr. Sagara."

"By your command, Madam Principal." As Sousuke draws the blinds, Kaname and Kyoko look over at Principal Tsuboi and see that she has a humoring smile on her face. A smile that's starting to fade, slightly.

'If he does anything otaku with the children, I swear, Fiancee or not, he'll get a failing grade for the day!' At that point, she turns around and sees the Mothers with the newborns.

"Ah, our subject matter and their Mothers. Mothers, have a seat please." When they are seated, Principal Tsuboi turns to Kaname and adds, "You too, Miss Chidori." When Kaname is seated, she begins.

"For the sake of expediency, I'll forgo the names as you are fellow students of a sort. This will be your class. The young woman with you is Miss Kaname Chidori. The young man doing the blinds is our resident otaku and her Fiance, Sousuke Sagara. The young lady giggling and taking pictures of him is Miss Kyoko Tokiwa." One of the Mothers raises her hand and Principal Tsuboi nods.

"Ma'am, why is he drawing the shades? And, just what do you mean by otaku? He looks to be completely normal."

"Sousuke's life was far from completely normal." Both Mothers gasp at Kaname's reply. "He lost his parents at an early age and began his life as a child warrior with the Afghani rebels. He has been to just about every foreign hot-spot. I wouldn't even be surprised if he had been to Hell and back again. All just to punch Satan in the mouth. He arrived here the other year and turned my world, along with the school, upside down with his graceful antics." Kaname can't help but smile sweetly and fondly at that.

"As to why he's drawing the shades, it's where his otaku nature comes in. Be it hand-to-hand combat to dealing with snipers, no one can match him. His knowledge of Military weaponry, procedures and all else is combined with the knowledge he had gathered his first year here. He's certainly come a long way."

The other Mother can't help but ask, "You mean, he went from an orphan to a knowledgeable and fearsome youth?" At Kaname's nod and proud smile, they both look at each other and sigh. "What did we get ourselves into?"

"The classroom is secured, Madam Principal. It's not a problem."

They both look toward the voice and see a young face, yet full of experience. Along with an x-shaped scar on the left cheek and eyes the color of cold steel. That eye color alone is enough to send chills up and down their spines.

For they feel the young man is no ordinary otaku, but a battle-hardened killer of men. Like he had seen and done things no one so young should have to see or do. They both look over at Kaname and reel in horror when they see her proudly smiling towards him.

"Thanks, Sousuke." He then takes a seat by Kaname and takes her hand into his.

The first Mother gulps and says, "Ready when you are, Madam Principal." Principal Tsuboi had caught their reactions to Sousuke's face and found them to be somewhat melodramatic as they looked over at Kaname.

"Okay. First, we shall discuss holding a baby the proper way for when the child is in day care. Miss Tokiwa, you're up." Kyoko smiles brightly as she gets up and goes to one of the babies, smiling when she gets there. "Miss Tokiwa, place your hands around the baby's armpits and gently lift it out." When Kyoko has done so, Principal Tsuboi nods in approval as she goes on.

"Now, gently tilt one arm like you have it in a sling and place the baby in the crook of the arm." When Kyoko is done, she smiles faintly as she looks at the baby's face. The baby's Mother smiles with approval as the baby coos.

"Miss Chidori, since you and Mr. Sagara are together, would you like the next one or should Mr. Sagara?"

"I'll let Sousuke take it, Ms. Tsuboi. Something tells me he'll be getting a lot of practice when Sousuke Jr's born." Both Mothers look at Kaname for confirmation when they see her belly through the fatigues she's wearing. Both Mothers look at each other in horror as they share the same thought.

'A fearsome, battle-hardened killer of men is going to be a Father!'

"Mr. Sagara, if you'll do what Miss Tokiwa had just done."

"By your command, Madam Principal." Sousuke goes over to the car seat, looks at the face and starts sweating 'bullets' as he thinks, 'I hope I remember how to do this!' He kneels down, picks the infant up and lifts it out of the car seat. Once he has the baby in the crook of his arm, however, the baby starts crying.

The baby's Mother sighs and says, "Don't worry about it. I've been holding him like that and he cries on me, too. No matter what I try, it simply doesn't work."

"Roger. Let me try something right quick here." He then deftly puts his hand on the baby's backside and another hand at the back of the baby's head. Tilting the baby upright, he brings the baby up to his face. Immediately, the baby stops crying. Both Mothers, Principal Tsuboi and Kyoko all drop their jaws at this. Kaname proudly smiles at Sousuke and nods in approval.

Sousuke smiles at the baby's face and says, "Just like handling a piece of unstable ordnance. It's not a problem."

The baby's Mother recovers her jaw in time to ask, "Unstable ordnance?"

"Affirmative. If mishandled, unstable ordnance will usually explode. A crying baby is much the same way. Only instead of ball bearings or plastic explosives, the baby explodes in tears and/or loud cries. However, not all babies are the same way, as Miss Tokiwa has shown. Every child is different, just like there are different types and grades of ordnance."

Kaname laughs at that, saying, "Only you, Sousuke. Only you would equate child care to ordnance handling. But, I understand that and I wouldn't have you any other way."

"Roger." By then, the baby's Mother is walking up to Sousuke to be sure her baby's all right. She's still very wary of him, having seen his eyes. When she gets to Sousuke, she sees something more. Tenderness and caring, along with hope and curiosity. "Yours, I believe, ma'am."

The Mother nods as Sousuke turns around so she could see her baby's face. A smile is on there and the baby's eyes are open and the pupils are contracting and dilating with the amount of light available. Her greatest relief comes when the baby giggles.

"How do I sign up for lessons, Mr. Sagara?"

Sousuke turns back around and asks, "Ma'am?"

"Ordnance handling. I want to learn as much as possible."

"Roger. If you would be so kind, you could meet us after school by the front doors. It's not a problem."

The other Mother looks at Kaname and asks, "Is he serious about that?"

"Oh, yeah. Sousuke's always serious when it comes to ordnance. He's very good with using explosives and disabling them by destroying them. Especially suspected ones, even though they turn out to be something else entirely."

"I don't think I want to know anymore about that. I hope you don't have that kind of knowledge."

"Actually, I do." That causes everyone but the babies and Sousuke to drop their jaws. "He taught me during our first month on vacation as to how to use explosives for emergency situations. Even though it's highly unlikely, it's good to have that kind of knowledge on hand. He also taught me basic marksmanship and some cool hand-to-hand combat moves."

Principal Tsuboi recovers her jaw in time to ask, "Marksmanship? As in, with a gun?"

"That's right, Ms. Tsuboi. Sousuke's a wonderful teacher. If he was to join the Military someday, I think he'd leapfrog over the others and go right to instructor."

At that, Principal Tsuboi faints, as do the two Mothers and Kyoko. The only ones still awake are Kaname, Sousuke and the baby Sousuke's holding. Fortunately, Kyoko had already put the baby she was holding back down into the car seat before she fainted.

"I think I went a little too far, Sousuke."

Sousuke ponders and replies, "Negative, Kaname. You merely spoke the truth. It seems some people can't handle the truth. Apparently, the old adage does ring true. 'Truth is stranger than fiction'. I'm living proof, it seems."

"Sousuke, you're strange, all right. But, you're not that strange. You're also right on that point about some people not being able to handle the truth. There are even times I wonder when I'm dreaming. Every time you detonate your explosives, I think I'm in some movie. When you shoot your guns, same thing. But, when reality hits me, it's because you're carrying out your duty as both my protector and my Fiance. I'm glad you're in my life, Sousuke."

"I'm glad you're in mine too, Kaname." He then hands the baby to Kaname and she smiles as she looks at the baby's face.

"Oh, you're a little cutie. Oof." Kaname feels a kick in her womb. She can't help but grimace and grin at the same time as she looks up at Sousuke. "I was right, Sousuke."

"Right about what, Kaname? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that Sousuke Jr kicked for the first time. Ow! Okay, okay. I'm afraid I'll have to call our own baby a cutie from here on out." She then smiles, nods at Sousuke's hand and has him place it onto her belly. "Then again, it's just until he's born. Ow!"

"I felt it, Kaname. He'd definitely make a fine martial artist, if not deadly."

"Sousuke! Don't put any ideas into our unborn son's head, Lieutenant Lunacy! Oof. Yep, he's definitely going to be a strong fighter and survivor, just like his Daddy." With that, she looks up into Sousuke's face, a proud smile on hers.

"For that, I'll be very proud. The world needs more people like you, Sousuke. After all, there's always going to be some nut that wants to ruin things for everyone. And, there'll always be people like you to stop the nut from carrying out his plan. If, if you hadn't come for me,..." Kaname's stopped by Sousuke's fingers on her lips.

"I don't even want to ponder that, Kaname. I didn't tell you before, but I might as well now. When I went after you, it was against orders. The safety of the others had higher priority, due to the bomb. But, I somehow knew if you disappeared, you'd never be seen again. Alive or otherwise. That was the first time I went with my gut, instead of my training. Strangely enough, the Lt. Commander didn't reprimand me."

"Hmm, that's rather strange. Wait a minute. What if he was giving you a test of your own humanity?"

"Well, I can't deny the possibility. He's been like a Father to me ever since we first went up against Gauron. That could be his way of testing those he comes across when the time comes. Of course, the circumstances would have to be just right."

Kaname kinks her eyebrow incredulously as she asks, "Like an airplane hijacking that just up and happens?"

"It never hurts to expect the unexpected, Kaname. After all, terrorists do not have regular work hours or a regular job site. If they did, Mithril's job would be much easier."

"Was that another joke, Sousuke? If it was, it's pretty funny. HAHAHAHAHAHA!" She then kisses Sousuke passionately, just as everyone else is waking up. With Kyoko the first to wake up, Principal Tsuboi and the two Mothers right behind her.

Kyoko giggles at the sight and snaps a picture. Principal Tsuboi takes in the sight and sighs, saying, "Ah, young love."

"Madam Principal!"

"Ms. Tsuboi!"

They both go to check on them and Kyoko waves them off, still giggling as she snaps another picture. Along the way, Kaname hands the baby to it's Mother, who then does the same thing Sousuke did. To her relief, the baby doesn't cry. Tears falling from her eyes, the Mother gives Sousuke a grateful bow, with him returning it.

Principal Tsuboi smiles softly at the young couple before saying, "I was considering giving Mr. Sagara a failing grade for using his otaku knowledge. But, since it helped stop a baby's crying without hurting it, it's a passing grade. Mr. Sagara?"

"Yes, Madam Principal?"

"You and Miss Chidori go on ahead and go to the next class on your roster. I'm sure the Mothers would still be interested in your teaching them about ordnance handling."

Sousuke nods and replies, "Yes ma'am." He then gets his weaponry and assorted ordnance out of the desk and back into their places. As he does so, Principal Tsuboi and the two Mothers silently wonder how he manages to conceal all the stuff he carries and just how much more he's carrying.

Kaname nods in agreement as well as the two teens leave the classroom. However, a horrendous sight greets them. Every single locker has a wedge of C-4 on it. The sight is enough to make Sousuke angry and nervous at the same time.

"Sousuke? What's wrong?"

"All that C-4. It's just about enough to collapse this whole building. It's either someone that had never dealt with C-4 before or we're looking at the handiwork of a totally insane idiot." Suddenly, they hear the same voice from earlier in the day.

"Oh, Miss Chidori!"

"I think I'll go with the totally insane idiot theory, Sousuke. You may be a maniac, but at least you know what you're doing. Mr. Shirai, what is the meaning of this, bomber-boy wanna-be?"

Shirai comes up, his face slightly covered in soot, smiles and says, "Simple. I got it all figured out, Miss Chidori. You're with Sagara because of the explosions. So, if I can give you bigger explosions, you'll break up with Sagara and pick me to be your main squeeze."

'Oh no. He's gone completely off his rocker!' Kaname frowns and shakes her head no, saying, "I'm not in love with Sousuke because of the explosions. I'm in love with him because he's sweet in his own unique way. You, on the other hand, have a very bad ego problem. In other words, it's unjustifiably large along with just plain rotten. Sousuke, on the other hand, is not a raving ego maniac. He's just a maniac with skills far beyond your feeble capacity."

Her eyes blazing in fury, she then says, "So take down all this explosive material, hand it over to Sousuke so he can properly dispose of it and leave us alone!"

"I can't do that, Miss Chidori. If I can't have you, no one can!" At that, Shirai brings out an old Japanese revolver and aims at Kaname. Only to have the weapon shot out of his hand by Sousuke's skilled marksmanship. When the revolver hits the floor, it's cylinder is dented, rendering it useless.

"You will not harm my Fiancee or our child. Consider that your only warning shot, Shirai." The hallway is packed with faculty and students alike, their jaws all agape at what had just happened. Sousuke reholsters the Glock then elects to inspect the explosives and notices something amiss. "Shirai, just how much training have you had with C-4 explosives?"

"None. I just got it from the JSDF Munitions Depot. Why?"

"You forgot the blasting caps. Without them, the explosive material can be safely used as Play-doh for children. Kaname, please have everyone calmly evacuate the school. Just to be on the safe side."

"What are you going to do, Sousuke?"

"I'm going to give Shirai here a few lessons in demolition work. Madam Principal."

"Yes, Mr. Sagara?"

"I understand you've been wanting to modernize a part of this building for a while now. I'm ready to assist, as is Mr. Shirai." By now, Shirai's face is severely pale at the thought of an 'otaku' teaching him about explosives.

His face still pale, he asks, "Are you sure, Sagara? After all, you're only an otaku, right?"

"We'll just have to see about that, won't we?" He then gives Shirai a grin that would very much rival Gauron's had the man survived in Shanghai. Needless to say, it causes Shirai to scream out loud as Sousuke moves to strip the C-4 off of the lockers.

Meanwhile, Kaname is quietly evacuating the school, hoping that Sousuke would show Shirai up and survive what was sure to follow. Once she gets everyone out of the school, she goes over to Principal Tsuboi and Miss Kagurazaka, in order to reassure both them and herself.

Inside, Sousuke is dragging Shirai along by his shirt to the rundown area of the high school. He then opens his pocket and checks his blasting cap count. "Okay, your first lesson. I've only got one blasting cap left and no tools. In the field, you won't have time to get the wire strippers out to strip the blasting wire for the connection. So, use your teeth instead."

Nervously, Shirai nods and sticks one end of the wire into his mouth, oblivious to Sousuke's shocked and angry face. Without thinking, he closes his eyes, bites down on it and opens his eyes in time to see Sousuke scowling.

"Now I know you are insane. You bit the blasting cap! Are you trying to get us both killed? I was new at using this stuff once and I never did anything that stupid! As was Kaname and she handled herself like a pro!"

"You taught Miss Chidori to use explosives?"

"Affirmative." Next thing he knows, Shirai faints as Sousuke scoffs. "Lesson failed, Shirai. Oh well, there'll be another day for demolition work. Only next time, you won't have access to such materials again." At that, he lifts Shirai up onto his shoulders in a fireman's carry and hoists the bag filled with the C-4, carrying both pieces of dead weight outside.

Back outside, Kaname and the others see Sousuke coming outside, with Shirai on his shoulders and the bag in hand. Overjoyed to see her beau, Kaname rushes forward and wraps Sousuke into a warm hug.

"I didn't hear an explosion, Sousuke. What happened?" As Sousuke tells her, her worried and happy face soon turns to anger and disgust toward Shirai. "He bit the blasting cap? What was the demented moron thinking?"

"I have no idea, Kaname. In any case, he has failed his lesson in demolitions. Madam Principal."

"Yes, Mr. Sagara?"

"Would you be so kind as to inform the JSDF Base that we have some of their explosive material here along with the person that took it?"

"Of course, Mr. Sagara. I suppose Mr. Shirai is the one that took the material."

"Affirmative, ma'am."

"Very well then. I believe you all have Art Class next. Mr. Sagara, next time you do modeling for the paintings, just stay still and let them draw you. I don't think you'd want a repeat of what happened the last time you tried your hand at modeling."

"Negative, ma'am. Kaname explained the entire thing to me after the project was done. I take it Mr. Mizuhoshi is the Art Teacher still."

"He is, Mr. Sagara. Miss Kagurazaka?"

"Ma'am?"

"Please go with the students. Hopefully, Mr. Sagara will have better luck this time around."

Miss Kagurazaka smiles weakly as she replies, "I just hope that Mr. Mizuhoshi won't ramble on and on like he did the last time." She then turns to the others and says, "Let's go, class. Sagara?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Let's not have any traps or surprise attacks this time around."

"Understood, ma'am."

Miss Kagurazaka can only put on a worried face as she thinks, 'I sure hope so.' With that, the class heads out, Masatami, Sousuke and Kaname bringing up the rear. As they walk, Masatami looks over at Sousuke and Kaname, sees their hands are joined along with smiles on their faces.

Curious, he asks, "Just what happened the last time Sousuke modeled?"

"Oh, just the usual otaku madness. Explosions, booby traps, chasing after Sousuke here and finally, finally, being able to draw him, all tied up with nowhere to go." Kaname then grins as she wraps Sousuke in her arms and kisses his head, adding, "Although, it was kinda fun seeing things through Sousuke's eyes. I, for one, never imagined art would turn out to be so dangerous. But, thanks to Lieutenant Lunacy here, I learned that."

Sousuke then smiles and asks, "Have you ever modeled before, Kaname?"

"Um, no. Can't say as I have, Sousuke. Why?"

"Well, I've been doing some pondering and I'd like to know if you'd model with me."

'Hmm, well, he's done a decently good job today in being subtle, aside from that detonation this morning. It'd be a perfect opportunity to draw Sousuke the way he should be. At peace and content in life.' Kaname nods and replies, "Okay. As long as it's nothing weird or dangerous."

"Roger."

'Why would it be weird or dangerous? Then again, being blown onto the floor of the villa was kinda weird and dangerous. I guess I'll have to ask.' Masatami then turns to Kaname and asks, "Just how often does he do weird or dangerous things?"

"Well, at first, he did them constantly. Over time, he had mellowed out, as you very well saw today."

Incredulous, he asks, "You call what he did today mellow?"

"He's still a work in progress, but he's getting there. I just hope he doesn't lose his razor-like edge at the same time. It's because of him that I'm safe and happy."

"Safe?"

"Later, Masatami. We're getting close to the objective at hand."

"Okay, Sousuke. Oh, Kaname."

"Yes, Masatami?"

"Earlier, you called Sousuke 'Lieutenant Lunacy'. What's that about?"

"It's an otaku thing."

"I see you have pins on your shirts. What's the 'SRT'? I've never heard of it."

Sousuke shakes his head and replies, "I have no idea, Masatami. I've looked in every single Military book for the definition of it. So, far, no luck. As for the pins themselves, they were already on there when I got these fatigues. Since I prefer to look as authentic as possible, I have left them on there. It's not a problem."

Kaname lightly giggles, pleased that Sousuke's keeping his cover very well. The class then reaches the area for instruction and soon see the extremely eccentric Art Teacher walk up, clad in his blue jeans, purple shirt and white overcoat. With his long grey hair, he fits the bill of an eccentric man.

"Hello, Class. I see we have some familiar faces here. For those of you who don't know who I am, I'm Ryu Mizuhoshi, your Art Teacher. Ah, I see we have one of our previous models here with us right now. Let's have a warm welcome for Sousuke Sagara!" The class, including Miss Kagurazaka, gives him applause as Mr. Mizuhoshi goes on.

"Just like last time, the theme is man and nature." With that, he begins his infamous ramble, leaving only a few words understandable to very few people. When he finishes, he asks, "Does anyone have any questions?" When he gets no reply, he nods and says, "Let's make some art!"

As the group disperses, Kaname looks over at Sousuke and says, "I should have realized that he'd rambled to you last time, Sousuke. Now that you understand modeling, will you have any difficulties?"

"Negative. I don't expect to come across any at all, Kaname. But, there are times when life will throw you for a loop. I know it did me." Kaname smiles and blushes at that as she kisses Sousuke on his scar.

"It did the same for me, Sousuke. It did the same for me."

Mr. Mizuhoshi then comes up to the couple and asks, "So, Mr. Sagara, will you be having any problems this time around? Remember, you must ensnare, break down and mask your emotions." Without any further warning, the eccentric Art Teacher launches into yet another incoherent ramble. Without even letting Sousuke reply to his question.

As he rambles, Masatami asks, "Are you getting any of this?"

Kaname replies, "I think some of it's Japanese while some of it's English."

"This is not gonna end well."

"How can you be so sure, Sousuke?"

"Just a hunch, Kaname. Just a hunch."

Mr. Mizuhoshi finishes his ramble in time to ask, "Will you be modeling again, Mr. Sagara?"

"Affirmative, sir. I've asked Kaname if she'd join me in modeling and she's agreed."

"Very well, then. Kaname, is it?"

"Yes sir. Kaname Chidori."

"Okay. Sagara and Chidori." He then turns his attention to Masatami and asks, "Will you be joining them?"

Masatami shakes his head no and replies, "No sir. I'm just going to draw them."

"Very well, then. Good luck. This class in particular had a little trouble last time Mr. Sagara modeled. I'll let Miss Chidori fill you in."

"Oh, she already told me about it. Of course, I found it to be a little hard to believe." Mr. Mizuhoshi nods and smiles as he walks away from the three teens. "It really happened, Kaname?"

"It sure did, Masatami. Oh, how are Washio and the others doing?"

"Washio, Hyodo and Sameshima are still with me. Washio drove me here today."

"So that was your car we saw. I thought it might have been somebody else. Like perhaps Sousuke's foster family."

Curious, Masatami asks, "What's your foster family like, Sousuke?"

"I guess you might say the discipline is mostly Military, yet we're not. I have two older 'siblings' and a 'sister' my age. More recently, I found out I have an actual cousin in Detroit Michigan." Looking over at Kaname, he adds, "Since Kaname and I are having a baby and getting married, this will be my first actual family in years."

"What happened to your parents?"

"They died, long ago. In Afghanistan while doing relief work." At that, they rejoin their classmates and Sousuke says, "Kaname and I will be posing. Now that I have a better understanding of what a model does, it's not a problem."

Kyoko giggles as she brings up her camera and thinks, 'This'll be good.' She then says, "Okay, Sousuke, sit at the base of the tree. Kaname, sit down in front of him and fall back into his arms. I can just see it now. 'Expectant otaku couple relaxing'."

With that, Sousuke sits down, with Kaname in front of him. Shinji walks around them and thinks about something. "Sousuke, do you have your gun right now?"

"Affirmative, Shinji. Why do you ask?"

"Well, it can be part of the project. 'Man protecting his beloved and unborn child'." That gets a blush from both Kaname and Sousuke, who is currently stroking Kaname's belly gently.

Mizuki smiles at that and says, "I like the sound of that. Even more, for that though, she'd have to be behind Sousuke while Sousuke's aiming his gun. It's not loaded, is it, Sousuke?"

"It is, however." With that, he draws the Glock, drops the magazine and ejects the chambered round. He then reaches behind him and brings out an empty magazine, slamming it into place. "It is now disarmed and ready for modeling." He can't help but grin as he puts the Glock back into his holster. All of it took seven seconds.

Their jaws hanging down, along with Masatami's, the class starts their sketches, with Kaname in Sousuke's arms first. Both teens are wearing contented smiles as their classmates chuckle and sketch them. Leaning her head back, she puts it onto Sousuke's chest and smiles when he puts his hand into her hair, running it through her long blue locks.

Maya chuckles as she says, "I never thought I'd see this day. Wild otaku tamed by a fiery beauty. Hey, that can be another name for this one." That causes her other classmates to chuckle and giggle in agreement as Sousuke keeps running his fingers through Kaname's hair.

Ten minutes later, they have their sketches done and are ready for the next pose. Kaname lifts herself up so Sousuke can get in front of her in a shielding fashion. Placing one hand on her belly and drawing his Glock, he nods for them to start sketching. Masatami gulps, seeing that the Glock is aimed right at him and remembers it's not loaded.

Before they can start sketching, Miss Kagurazaka comes up onto the scene, sees Sousuke pointing his Glock at Masatami and goes to find out what's going on. "Mr. Sagara, Miss Chidori, what's going on here?"

Sousuke lowers the Glock and replies, "Just posing, Miss Kagurazaka. It's not a problem."

Mizuki nods as she says, "It's an idea that Shinji had, Miss Kagurazaka. 'Man protecting his beloved and unborn child'."

"Hmm, that does sound intriguing. All right, continue. Sagara."

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I hope that gun is not loaded."

"It's not, ma'am. I switched out the magazine for an empty one. It's not a problem."

Miss Kagurazaka weakly nods and smiles as Sousuke resumes his pose, with one sharp move of his arm. Masatami, having seen the gun leveled at him again, gulps and silently prays that he'll survive the rest of the day. The class, feeling the pressure that Masatami's facing, elects to make this quick so Masatami can go to relieve himself.

In five minutes, they have a precise sketch of Sousuke shielding Kaname and aiming the Glock at the same time. When they're done, Masatami bolts away from the scene, leaving a stunned Miss Kagurazaka in his wake.

"Well, at least Sagara did a better job than last time around." The woman then chuckles as she heads for Jindai High School as Sousuke helps Kaname off of the ground.

The class gathers around Sousuke and Kaname, with Kyoko carrying Masatami's sketch pad along with hers, and they all smile at the couple. "See, it wasn't so hard or bad, was it, Sousuke?"

"Negative, Kyoko. Although."

"Although what, Sousuke?" Shinji is perplexed, as are the others, as he waits for Sousuke's reply to his question.

"Some explosions might have helped. 'Otaku couple escaping from hostile parties'."

That causes everyone's jaws to drop until Mizuki giggles and says, "That was a joke. It has to be a joke, Sousuke. I mean, who'd want to take couples hostage?"

"You'd be surprised, Mizuki. You'd be very surprised. Remember the school trip? We're high school students and we were taken hostage. People that take hostages don't really care about the age or status of the people they abduct."

"But, Kaname."

Maya nods and says, "Kaname has a very good point, Mizuki. Terrorists have no respect for people or their schedules. They think they have the right to ruin peoples' trips or end their lives. Thank goodness for that Rescue Unit. If it was with the UN or not, thank goodness for it. Those guys saved our lives. In fact, I'd say Sousuke was lucky to make it out of there, given that he wasn't on the other airplane." She then turns toward Sousuke, a calculating look in her eyes.

"Just how did you get out of there, Sousuke?"

'Well, they say truth is stranger than fiction. Let's give that adage a try.' He smiles and replies, "I'm actually a mercenary, posing as a high school student. The people that rescued you were mercenaries for the organization that I work with. In turn, they helped in extracting me while one of my comrades and I brought Kaname out."

The class looks at each other before they all start laughing. "Sousuke, you're too much!" Ono-D laughs as he goes on. "That was a good one, man! You, a mercenary? Come on, it just isn't done! You're too young!"

He then goes up, claps Sousuke on his right shoulder and adds, "Few people are the summer and the winter. But you're not one of them!" Wrapping Sousuke's head in his arms, he rubs his knuckles against the young soldier's head.

To his credit, Sousuke does nothing to confirm what he had told them. When Ono-D is done, he claps Sousuke's shoulder again and chuckles, saying, "Thanks for the laugh, Sousuke. You would definitely be the life of the party once you hone your sense of humor." With that, the class walks away laughing, leaving the two young lovebirds behind them.

Kaname turns to Sousuke and asks, "Was that really a good idea, Sousuke?"

"It was the only way, Kaname. After all, 'Truth is stranger than fiction'. Given my age, it simply wouldn't be possible for them to believe me about my being a mercenary. Now, if they had seen me in action like you had in Khanka."

"They'd know you were on the level and not telling a joke! Sousuke, I'm impressed. Very impressed." She then smiles and says, "You're getting to be smarter by the day, Sousuke. Now, if only we can do something about your Classical Japanese History."

"That's going to take me a while still, Kaname. After all, Classical Japanese History was not exactly required reading at the training camps I went to in the past."

Kaname can't help it anymore and lets loose a good-sized, yet soft, belly laugh. Sousuke wraps his arms around her midsection from behind and the couple heads back to Jindai High School.

"Mmm, I love you, my Military maniac."

"I love you too, my fiery beauty." He then strokes her belly and says, "We're quite a pair, Kaname. A Military maniac and an innocent young woman with fire in her spirit. Add our son into the equation and you get a family that shouldn't be messed with."

"Yeah, we certainly do, Sousuke. Oh!"

"Kaname!" She then giggles, reassuring him.

"It's okay, Sousuke. Our baby just kicked again. Now I definitely know he's going to be a strong fighter and survivor. Just like his Father is." Kaname tilts her head back and kisses the underside of Sousuke's chin as she strokes his scarred cheek.

Unaware of their classmates standing outside the school sketching them both, Sousuke and Kaname shortly reach the grounds.

Maya grins as she says, "This will be a good one. 'Happy couple on a nature walk'. That'd be perfect for those two lovebirds. What do you think, Kyoko?"

Kyoko giggles as she nods and brings up her camera. "Perfect indeed, Maya. I can hardly wait to see if their baby will have Sousuke's scar as well."

Mizuki shakes her head and says, "I doubt it, Kyoko. A scar like that can't be passed on to a child. After all, Sousuke wasn't born with it. Or, at least I don't think he was."

Shinji then chuckles and adds, "Just like he wasn't born to be an otaku. Then again, if he was, I can just picture Sousuke, discussing guns and ammunition, when he would have been in Kindergarten. That would have freaked everybody out." That causes everyone to laugh at the imagery.

"Hey guys!"

"Issei!" Mizuki bolts forward, wraps her arms around him and giggles. "You just missed us sketching Sousuke and Kaname. Also, we have a new classmate, but Sousuke gave him a pretty bad scare. Along with telling us a very amusing joke."

"Really? This I gotta hear." As Mizuki tells him, his face pales as he watches Sousuke and Kaname walking over to a bench and sitting down together. "A mercenary? Posing as a high school student? You gotta be kidding me." He then smiles softly as he watches Kaname take Sousuke's hand and put it onto her belly. When Kaname jolts, he wants to bolt over there until he sees them both laughing.

"Issei? You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay, Mizuki. It looks like they're having a good time together."

"Yeah, they sure are. Let's see if they're up for lunch. I just hope Sousuke doesn't do what he did the last time around."

Issei gulps as he asks, "What'd he do?" After Mizuki tells him, he shakes his head and chuckles. "Only Sagara can open fire, demand a plain roll and come out intact." At that, they all go over to where Sousuke and Kaname are sitting. "Hey guys."

"Hello, Tsubaki. How's your day going?"

"It's going fine, Sagara. How about yours?"

"It's going a little smoother than the last time I did this modeling bit." At this point, Sousuke's communicator goes off. "Sagara."

"Lieutenant, this is Kalinin."

"Yes sir."

"Madam Captain is going to be at the high school for the week, starting tomorrow. Just a minute, Lieutenant. It seems we have a situation involving a fishing trawler in America's Pacific Northwest."

"I see, sir. The usual place?"

"Affirmative, Lieutenant." In the background, Tessa's voice is audible.

"Fire one torpedo. Be prepared to divert if there are any innocent vessels around."

"Madam Captain, I have Street Hawk's signature on the waves behind the trawler. A body has just been thrown overboard! Wait a minute, there's a pontoon around the body and Street Hawk's still in pursuit."

"Very well then. Fire one!"

"Aye aye, Madam Captain. Firing one torpedo. We have impact! Fishing trawler is in pieces and there are three living subjects in the water. Shall we pick them up?"

"Negative. It's bad enough we tapped into Team Hawk's communications and found out what those men were planning on doing with the sea lion. So, on that note, let's just leave them in there. They could stand a little swimming."

"Roger ma'am. War Bird is calling in the Coast Guard right now and she is picking up the pontoon. What the?"

"What is it, Lieutenant?"

"It seems there are two bodies inside the pontoon. The sea lion and a human male. It seems the man didn't much care for the way the sea lion was being treated."

Kalinin's voice then comes back to Sousuke with a chuckle. "The situation has been handled, Lieutenant. Be looking forward to seeing the Captain at your quarters."

"Sagara, roger." Sousuke puts up his communicator and sighs. "My foster Father just called. Tessa's coming to Tokyo for a vacation."

Kaname smiles and says, "At least she won't try anything. Hmm, I just thought of something, Sousuke."

"What's that, Kaname?"

"What would you say if Tessa was to meet with Masatami? They'd be perfect for each other."

"That does sound intriguing, Kaname. Let's run it by Masatami and Tessa first." Kaname giggles and is about to run her fingers along Sousuke's scar until Kyoko clears her throat.

Sousuke turns his head to Kyoko and asks, "Yes, Kyoko?"

"Sousuke, how often does your foster Father come see you?"

"Oh, he's a very busy man, Kyoko. Extremely busy."

Curious, Mizuki then asks, "What does he do, Sousuke?"

"You might say he's a consultant of sorts, Mizuki. He works with Tessa's Father at times, even though they don't exactly see eye to eye." At that, the bell rings for lunch. "Well, we better be getting on to the cafeteria. See you guys there."

Kaname smiles as Sousuke helps her up and says, "See you guys there." The young couple then goes inside and head for the cafeteria. Once they reach the cafeteria, they see Masatami eating his lunch and elect to join him after getting theirs.

"Hey, Masatami."

"Hello, Kaname, Sousuke. How'd it go?"

"It went fine. They got their sketches of us and this time, no one was trapped in any of my traps. It's not a problem."

Masatami nods as he takes in their fatigues and looks at his own uniform. Black jacket over a white shirt and black slacks. "Sousuke, do you wear fatigues all the time?"

"Negative. Normally I wear the school uniform. But since Kaname's Maternity uniform hasn't arrived yet, she's wearing a set of fatigues and I'm wearing the same. After all, there will be times when a couple will dress alike to strengthen their bond even more." Kaname nods in agreement as she eats her lunch.

"That's right, Masatami. Deep under those fatigues is a closet romantic and an openly known weapons expert to boot. It's the best of both worlds." At that, their classmates join them and Kaname hands them Bonnie's replies.

Tsubaki reads his first and is in disbelief. "You mean that enemies I might come across might not honor the basic rules of combat? The only way to survive and win is to fight dirty?"

"If you like, Tsubaki, I can give you a few pointers for such occasions."

Tsubaki shrugs and replies, "Okay, Sagara. But no detonations. Understood?"

"Actually, you might encounter an enemy that'll use detonations to achieve their goals. That's the way I'd achieve my goals if I were to join the Military." The others laugh and nod in agreement as Kyoko looks at hers next.

"I guess she found that time to be somewhat disturbing. Yet, she also hopes it works out between me and Shinji. What does yours say, Shinji?"

"Well, she said for me not to make you blush. She also wanted to know if I was trying to get Sousuke killed." The others then turn to Ono-D who is laughing at his reply.

"She said the same thing about mine, Kyoko. Well, actually, she didn't even want to picture it. I guess she'd already seen how his mind works." The others laugh in agreement as Mizuki reads hers.

"I wonder how Sousuke would look with a fancy haircut." They all turn toward Sousuke, causing him to gulp.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" When the others smile evilly at his ruffled hair, he shakes his head and adds, "This can't be good." He then pulls out a concussion grenade and loops his finger into the pin.

"If you want to cut my hair, it will be after Sousuke Jr is born. Not before. You can forget about fancy. Practicality is key. Is that understood?"

Knowing he's deathly serious, they all quietly nod as Maya reads hers. "She knows exactly what it's like. Having your Father walk out on you can break your heart, just like losing a friend. What's yours say, Ren?"

"Just she's glad I survived the Full Monty Bacteria. She couldn't help but wonder if it'd be a mess like it was or fun if it happened over there. Oh, Miss Chidori."

"Yeah, Ren?"

"Why are these replies in your handwriting?"

"Oh, Bonnie speaks and writes in English. Since English isn't really used here, I felt I should translate them."

Kyoko giggles as she says, "No, Kaname. We wrote in English, so there was no need to translate."

Sousuke then clears his throat and replies, "The reason why is because the reply letter contained top-secret information regarding ideas for our honeymoon. If you were to have seen it, you would have the same ideas. Scuba diving in the nude, for example." Their reactions are quiet and ponderous before they shrug and allow Atsunobu to read his.

"I'm quite sure I'm not related to Mr. Sagara. However, I tend to think of him like a brother of sorts. A very Militant brother." That causes everyone, including Sousuke to laugh. Masatami then sighs.

Sousuke catches it and asks, "What's wrong, Masatami?"

"If I had joined you guys beforehand, I might have written my Sousuke-rience and gotten a reply."

Sousuke nods and replies, "Understood. Next time we write them, we'll include you in the mix." Masatami smiles at this as they finish up their lunch.

The rest of the day goes by without incident. The Mothers ask Sousuke if he can do the lesson the next day and he promises he'll keep it open for them. Masatami's limo arrives, with Washio behind the wheel. Masatami smiles at Washio as the man takes in the appearance of Sousuke and Kaname.

"Miss Kaname? It's good to see that you survived that jump. You! You freak! Using a live grenade by accident?"

Sousuke grins as he nods, replying, "In the heat of battle, it's easy to lose track of what ammunition you're using. Sometimes, however, that kind of mistake works out for the best and gets excellent results." Kaname giggles at this as she pats her womb.

"That's Sousuke for you. An instrument of destruction and very good person."

Masatami smiles at this and asks, "Any chance we can give you a lift, Kaname?"

Kaname looks over at Sousuke and replies, "Not without Sousuke."

"Very well. Washio, we'll be dropping off two passengers today. Sousuke Sagara and Kaname Chidori."

"Miss Chidori, Mr. Sagara, it'll be our pleasure to drive you to your homes."

Kaname chuckles at this and replies, "Actually, Washio, we're living together and engaged to be married. Along with about to become parents."

"Ah, very good, Miss. Young sir."

"Roger." Sousuke opens the limo's door and says, "Ladies first, Kaname."

"Thank you, Sousuke." After Kaname gets in, Masatami gets in after and then Sousuke, closing the door with a confirming slam.

"There, all secured."

'This is a classic limousine and this lunatic slams doors like he's expecting an attack! Who would want to attack a fine automobile like this?' Without any verbal words, Washio pulls out of the school's parking lot, not seeing a small lime-green sports car pull out after them.

Behind the wheel of the sports car, Shirai is steamed. He barely escaped being arrested by the Nerima Base's Military Police Forces for the theft of the C-4 and hid in his car until the time came for him to grab Kaname. 'She belongs with me! Not that crazed otaku loser! So what if I bit on the blasting cap? He should have warned me ahead of time, that demented freak!'

In the limo, Sousuke, Kaname and Masatami are having an animated chat about their day. "In any case, Masatami, Kaname and I have a friend you might like."

"Oh, who's that?"

"Her name's Tessa. She'll be at the school tomorrow morning for another exchange. Sousuke thinks you two will hit it off without a problem." She then looks at Sousuke's face and sees his scowl. "What's wrong, honey?"

"Kaname, that green sports car has been following this limo since leaving the school. I'm taking action. It's not a problem."

"Sousuke, you're just being paranoid. True, you are facing the rear window, but that's no reason to suspect anything."

Masatami nods in agreement and adds, "Besides, Washio would have noticed the car following us."

Sousuke then shrugs and asks, "In that case, how about a little test? Have Washio take three right turns at every other block and add one left turn at the next block." Unsure about the advice, Masatami instructs Washio to do the test. To their surprise, the car behind them matches them move for move.

"Master Masatami, it seems Mr. Sagara's hunch is right on target. Shall I notify the Authorities?"

"Sousuke?"

"Negative." He then draws his Glock, drops the empty magazine, slides in a clip of armor-piercing ammunition, primes the Glock and replies, "I'll handle this. It's not a problem. Notify them after we're clear of the bogey." Looking up at the ceiling, he scowls and adds, "This is a minus. No moonroof for retaliatory strikes."

Masatami shrugs apologetically as he says, "Sorry, Sousuke. But I don't think classic limousines came with moonroofs."

"In that case then, I'll just lean out of the window. It's not a problem." He then rolls down the window and says, "Have Washio keep it steady. This shouldn't take long." Sighting along the Glock's barrel, he opens fire and strikes the car's engine, killing it with two shots.

Inside the car, Shirai sees Sousuke lean out the window with his Glock and aim right at his car. "Oh no! You're not going to shoot me, Sagara!" He then hits the accelerator. Next thing he knows, he's coughing heavily as the engine dies on him, releasing massive amounts of carbon monoxide into the car's interior.

Back inside the limo, Sousuke nods in satisfaction as he ducks back down into the limo and says, "It's now safe to notify the Authorities. Just tell them that a car had broken down and is blocking traffic."

Masatami catches on and says, "I see. Since guns are illegal here in Japan, they wouldn't consider that a gun could kill a car's engine. But, why not kill the driver outright?"

"It's for in case of interrogations that I may wish to do at a later time. It's not a problem for me." Five minutes later, they arrive at Sousuke and Kaname's apartment.

Meanwhile, Shirai is sitting in his car, smack dab in front of a traffic jam that his dead car had started. He then smiles as he hears a Police siren arrive and gets out of the car, his JSDF Identification in hand.

Officer Wakana gets out of her Police Cruiser and walks toward the dead car. "I understand you broke down, sir."

"I didn't break down, Officer. My car's engine was shot by a maniac with a gun. I'm telling you, this guy is a real sick piece of work."

"Driver's license, registration and proof of insurance, please."

"Sure. I'll even include my JSDF Identification for good measure." As Shirai hands Wakana the proper items, the decidedly unhinged Policewoman cackles wildly upon seeing his JSDF Identification.

"Well, now, Private Shirai, you might be interested to know that the Nerima Base Authorities are looking for you. Put your hands behind your back."

"Officer, it's an honest mistake."

"We'll just let them decide for themselves, won't we, Private?" As she cuffs Shirai, she ignores his protests.

"You can't do this to me! I'm trying to save a life here!"

"Who's in danger?"

"A girl I like and maybe even the world is in danger. All because of Sousuke Sagara."

"Ah, I see you know him."

"He's the one that shot my car!"

Electing to keep what she knows about Sousuke's guns quiet, she replies, "Sir, you do realize that guns are illegal here in Japan, don't you?"

"Yes, but."

"But nothing! I'm calling for a wrecker to pick up this heap. Chances are, you were pushing it a little too hard! That is reckless driving as far as I'm concerned."

With that, she stuffs Shirai into the back of her cruiser and thinks, 'Sousuke's a lot of fun to play with! I need to shoot with him more often!' She then lets out another crazed laugh that sends chills up and down Shirai's spine, along with everyone else's.

Back at Sousuke's apartment, the young couple are sitting together on Sousuke's couch, looking at Kaname's Maternity uniform. It had arrived earlier in the day and a Mithril Operative had snuck it into the apartment. Along with a package for Sousuke.

"Who's it from, Sousuke?"

"It's from my weapons dealer friend, Beart."

She then cringes as she strokes her belly and says, "I hope it's none of that crazy bacteria again, Sousuke."

"I don't think so. The package is too small. I'm going to open it using the usual means. It looks like Beart had prepped this package with me in mind."

"How's that, Sousuke?"

"These two prongs on the front of the package. They're ideal for using a piece of string and a pulley to yank them apart."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"Life is dangerous, Kaname. Surviving it is the challenge. I'm not talking about Military life entirely either. I'm also including everyday life."

Kaname laughs softly at that and says, "I know what you mean, Sousuke. After all, you're living proof of that. Before you came along, I was totally unprepared for what would happen in my life. I mean, being 'Whispered' is strange enough, but also a kidnapping target. When I find out about it, it's almost too late, as I was a captive. The only one that saw me through it all is you, Sousuke." She then puts his hand on her belly and softly smiles.

"I hope you won't change drastically, Sousuke. After all, seeing a child being born is supposed to be a life-changing event. However, my life changed when you entered it. Ever since then, it's only gotten better and stranger." Turning her attention to the box, she sighs and says, "Let's open it together, Sousuke."

"Roger." Without bothering with the string after shaking it, they find the sound inside resembles a part. Both hold their breaths as Sousuke takes one end and Kaname does the other. When the box is open, they see a guide spring/rod.

"Ah, it's here." Slipping out his Glock, he removes the clip and the chambered round before stripping it down. He then removes the guide spring/rod and puts the new one into place. Without any further delay, he puts the Glock back together.

Kaname picks up the old one and remarks, "This one looks okay, Sousuke."

"It is, Kaname. However, this new guide spring/rod is very special. Have a look at the wall." Kaname does so and smiles when she sees a red dot on the wall.

"The guide spring/rod is also a laser sight."

"Affirmative. Remember when I shot Danigan and how I was holding his gun?" At Kaname's nod, he goes on. "The only times you can get kill shots like that is at point blank range, if you have a targeting grid like Commander Murphy's or a laser sight."

"And since the enemies you face usually don't go for close quarters combat, you don't have a targeting grid and some places won't allow you to shoot exposed, the laser sight is ideal. Right?"

"Very good, Kaname." He then reholsters the Glock and checks the time. "It's time for the news, Kaname." At that, he turns on the television and the reporter goes to the International front.

"_Another rescue by Team Hawk has Oregon Authorities stumped. Earlier today, the bodies of Greg and Maria Thomas were discovered in a room at the 'Fisherman's Inn, located in a village just west of Portland. Later in the day, Team Hawk rescued a man and a sea lion with a pontoon missile. A strange occurrence happened during the rescue. A fishing trawler somehow blew up while Street Hawk was right behind it._

_Details are still sketchy, but the Authorities have arrested three men, one of which is Samuel Rockwaller from Middleton Colorado. Mr. Rockwaller had abandoned his family about fifteen years ago. So far, the Authorities and Global Justice have not commented on the case other than regarding Mr. Rockwaller's arrest._

_This reporter has questions for Team Hawk. One of them is, 'Just how are these things tied together?' Also, the Police Chief has been found dead, from a gunshot wound to the head. He was found inside a still smoking cabin belonging to a Dr. Mona Williams._

_Oh, we have someone stepping outside the Police Station now. It's Dr. Director with Global Justice. Dr. Director, can you comment on any of the items that happened here in this sleepy village?"_

"_Yes, I can. Greg and Maria Thomas were murdered by the late Police Chief of the village. That's all the information that I have on me regarding the village as I'm still trying to get some fragments together."_

"_What about Team Hawk's involvement? For that matter, where are they at right now?"_

"_I don't know how they got involved. As to your other question, look behind you."_

The camera turns around and catches War Bird and Sky Base flying away from the village. As Sousuke turns off the television, he could swear he hears Dr. Director laughing at the reporter having a tantrum.

He then shrugs as he wraps Kaname into his arms and she snuggles into him in response.

"Mmm, this could be the best part of our lives together. The both of us, snuggled together with our son. I'm looking forward to becoming your wife, Sousuke."

"I'm looking forward to becoming your husband, Kaname. Along with becoming a good Father for Sousuke Jr." He then smiles softly and says, "I should go to Afghanistan sometime, to where my parents are buried. So I could tell them about what I've done with my life."

"Well, you may want to use 'Arbalest' if you're going to go back over there. After all, there's still a lot of fighting going on."

"Roger." At that, the young couple nods off and go to sleep, still snuggled with each other.

When they wake up, it's early in the morning and they're still on the sofa.

"Hmm, Sousuke."

"Yes, Kaname?"

"How about some breakfast?"

"Roger. How'd you sleep?"

Kaname stretches and arches her back at the same time, giving Sousuke an eyeful from the side. Of both her breasts and her belly. "I feel a little stiff, but it's nothing a good stretch can't handle. How about you?" She then grins as she sees Sousuke's eyes fixed on her front. "Enjoy the view?"

"Affirmative." That has Sousuke blushing furiously as he goes on. "As to your question, adequately. Although, I'd much prefer to be in bed beside you from here on out."

Blushing furiously, Kaname kisses Sousuke as she gets up and says, "I'll fix the breakfast, sweetie. Knowing you, you'd probably eat one of your infamous protein bars or even your rations. I can't even begin to imagine how you even survived out in the field without real food in your stomach."

Sousuke shrugs as he replies, "It's just one of those things, Kaname. In the field, you don't really have time to enjoy a proper meal. All you have time for are rations and protein bars. When supply runs out, live off the land. How do you think I got to be a good fisherman?"

"You mean you ran out of supplies at times?"

"Affirmative."

"Oh, you poor thing." Without any further word, she pulls Sousuke into her chest, being mindful of her belly. "I wish I had met you before your family left Japan. That way, I could have told them not to leave, you wouldn't have become an orphan that had to go hungry. I wish a lot of things for you, Sousuke."

"Uh, Kaname?" Sousuke's voice is muffled from his face being between Kaname's breasts.

"Yes, Sousuke?"

"I can't breathe." Blushing furiously, Kaname releases her death grip on Sousuke and giggles when she sees the impressions of her breasts on both his cheeks.

"Sorry, Sousuke."

"It's not a problem." He then ponders what she had said and decides to counter it. "If I hadn't left with my parents, you would still be 'Whispered'. As a result, you would still be in danger. There is a wise saying that comes to mind. 'Sometimes, good things can come from tragedies. If all things were good, there will be tragedies most of the time'. In some perverse way, my parents' deaths were a service to me, but they were still tragic nonetheless. If my parents hadn't died, I wouldn't have gained my skills and you would most likely be dead or one of the living dead."

"What are the 'living dead', Sousuke?"

Kaname cringes as Sousuke replies, "Picture yourself as a 'Whispered', not protected by Mithril. A group of men grab you and pump chemicals into you. These chemicals force you into a trance that is constant, making you unaware of your surroundings. As your secrets are drained from you, your life fades away. Little by little. When that day comes, when they feel you are no longer useful to them, you die."

Kaname gulps as she asks, "You've seen them before, haven't you?"

"Affirmative." He then puts his hand on her cheek and adds, "I'm sorry if it scared you, Kaname."

"It did. And I did ask you to tell me." Kaname can't help but shiver, prompting Sousuke to wrap his arms around her. She then softly smiles, adding, "The world is a scary place, isn't it?"

"It has it's moments, Kaname." Kaname giggles as she pecks Sousuke's cheek and places one of his hands onto her breast.

"Moments like this one, Sousuke?"

"Affirmative."

"Hmm, I could get to like moments like this one. How about this one?" She takes her one hand and places it onto Sousuke's crotch.

"It doesn't feel unpleasant, Kaname. I could get to like this kind of moment, but only from you."

"That's a good answer, Sousuke." The young couple then lean toward each other for a kiss when a knock sounds at the door. "Ten to one says it's Tessa. What do you think, Sousuke?"

"If it is, she has timing that'll put the world to shame for ruined moments."

"No, not ruined moments, Sousuke. Just delayed moments, that's all. It's not a problem, right?"

Sousuke smiles at his Fiancee as he replies, "Not a problem, Kaname." He then gets up from the couch and opens the door. "Lieutenant Commander Kalinin, sir!"

Kalinin chuckles at his subordinate as he replies, "At ease, Lieutenant. Hello, Miss Chidori. You look well."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Commander. Or, should we call you 'Grandpa Andy' for after the baby's born? After all, you're the closest thing Sousuke has to a Father."

The normally gruff Russian startles her with a soft smile and replies, "I would be delighted. As long as word does not get around that I have a soft spot for my subordinate. Or his unborn offspring." Both Kaname and Sousuke's jaws drop at Kalinin's remark. "In any case, Madam Captain is here for two weeks while we reconfigure the Tuatha de Danaan's catapult system. Madam Captain."

"Yes, Lieutenant Commander." Tessa comes in through the doorway and smiles when she sees Sousuke's apartment. "So this is what your apartment really looks like, Lieutenant Sagara. Of course, I did see it when we faced off against A21 and Behemoth." She then sees the television and kinks her head to the side.

Kaname catches this and says, "It's mine, Tessa. I had Sousuke bring it over here, just mainly to catch the news and whatnot. Thinking of, Team Hawk made the news last night. You wouldn't happen to know anything about an explosion at sea, would you?"

Tessa plays with her platinum ponytail as she replies, "There was an explosion around Oregon yesterday. A fishing trawler had blown up while being chased by Street Hawk. It seems we launched a torpedo when we received information that Team Hawk was at work in the area. Matter of fact, we have a communication with us from Mr. Stoppable."

She then brings it out of her Mithril uniform blouse and hands it to Sousuke before ducking into his bathroom. Sousuke and Kaname both read the communication together.

"_Hey, Sousuke and Kaname. We had a pretty crazy half week here. We're in Oregon right now, about to leave for Middleton and a vacation at Merida Island. We already got it cleared with Captain Testarossa and Dr. Director signed off on it. Besides, Bonnie could use the rest even more. You see, we went up against her Father when he threatened an old friend of Norman's. Oh, haven't had a chance to tell you. Norman's a Father now. A healthy, bouncing baby girl named Norma. We'll tell you more when we see you at the island. Later guys. Ron Stoppable."_

Kaname gasps as she says, "Bonnie must have been hit the hardest, having to go up against a family member." Sousuke nods in agreement as he wraps Kaname in his arms from behind.

"I'm sure it was painful for her as well, Kaname. We'll find out when we get to the island." He then drapes his palms over Kaname's belly and spreads his fingers, running them along the flesh.

Kalinin, reluctant to ruin the touching moment, clears his throat and says, "You might wish to change into your new uniform, Miss Chidori. In the meantime, the Lieutenant and I need to speak, man-to-man." Kaname nods in reply and kisses Sousuke before ducking into their bedroom to change.

"I see your emotional development is coming along well, Lieutenant. Your affection for your charge/Fiancee is clear evidence of that. Along with your devotion to your unborn offspring and combined with your fascination by the whole thing."

"Sir, permission to speak freely."

"Granted."

"You were expecting this, sir?"

"It's more like a statement than a question, but yes. Sousuke, I'm not going to mince words. You're a soldier, but you're also a human teenager. You have done more in your lifetime than your average adult. You faced tremendous odds time and time again and always survived them. Yet, you never took the time to enjoy life. You never had the chance to. All the training, all the missions you went through were your education in the outside world. I had hoped an opportunity for you to get a proper education would come up, but it simply wouldn't be practical to send a teenage mercenary to a school unless there was a very good reason."

"Kaname's that reason."

"Yes. When I read the mission brief, I figured this would be your chance to live like a regular teenager." Kalinin's eyes twinkle with amusement as he adds, "Then again, regular teenagers are not trained in warfare or rescue tactics like you are. Sousuke Sagara, you are a rare breed, if not the only one of your kind. A teenage Specialist, with skills far beyond anyone else. A master of any form of combat, yet you never had the chance to live like the rest of the world does. Until now. So live it up, Lieutenant. You earned it."

"He's right, Sousuke." Both men turn at Kaname's voice and see her in her new Maternity uniform. "When you turned eight years old, your life pretty much went SNAFU on you, yet you worked your way through it. When you first arrived, it was close to becoming FUBAR. On your end, at least."

She then giggles and adds, "Of course, my life was pretty much FUBAR, with my being in danger of being abducted without even knowing about it. Ever since you entered my life, it has gotten less and less FUBAR. Of course, with the explosions, the level goes up, but I know you're just doing your best to keep me safe."

"Miss Chidori is correct, Lieutenant Sagara. If it hadn't been for you and your experience, her life would be dull and most likely over at the hands of the enemy." Tessa comes back out in her school uniform and smiles.

"I hope Miss Kagurazaka doesn't tell you to refrain from showing me your world view, as I've already seen it. Commander Mardukas had told me about the transmission regarding Miss Kagurazaka. Are you sure it was a wise idea, Lieutenant?"

"It was either come clean or kill her outright, ma'am. Given that she was an innocent that had stumbled onto my actual identity, a brutal killing was ruled out, along with a disappearance."

"Well, we are sworn to protect the innocent. I guess it even includes when they stumble onto us. What do you think, Mr. Kalinin?"

"I agree, Madam Captain. Shall we go?"

Tessa nods, just as she gets a look at Kaname's ring. Her jaw drops before she starts giggling. 'Only Sousuke.'

"You all right, Tessa?"

"I'm fine, Miss Chidori. I see that Lieutenant Sagara gave you an engagement ring that bridges your two worlds together."

"Yeah, he did. He then made himself a ring by using a pull-ring from a concussion grenade." She then scowls as she adds, "On our way to school yesterday, some old man, saying he's a jeweler, wanted to buy the ring from me. I refused, he grabbed my hand back and Sousuke decked him. Needless to say, the guy got the message."

"Hmm, that's not like the Lieutenant. Usually, when giving an aggressive person a message, he would often use a gun, just to make his point. Was that how it happened, Lieutenant?"

"Affirmative, sir. Kaname suggested I try to be subtle. So I subtly showed my firearm to the jeweler, without Kaname noticing. It's not a problem." That has Kaname and Tessa giggling while Kalinin smirks at his subordinate.

"Now that is the Sagara Subtlety. Wouldn't you agree, Madam Captain?"

"I wouldn't know about subtlety, Mr. Kalinin, but at least the Lieutenant is trying."

"That's right, Tessa. But, he shouldn't have to be so subtle it'll dull his senses. Oof." Kaname slightly bends over, a wince and smile on her face. "I can already tell this little guy's not going to be subtle. He's got a kick like a mule." Sousuke then goes to her side and cradles her into his arms, kissing her cheek.

"Ready for school, Kaname?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Affirmative. Madam Captain?"

"Ready and eager, Sousuke. Mr. Kalinin?"

"I may not be young enough for school, but I can certainly drive you three there. Besides, it'll give me a chance to meet with your teachers. Shall we go?" The three teens nod at the tall and proud Russian as they leave the apartment. As he walks behind them, Kalinin thinks, 'He's certainly come a long way ever since he became an orphan. A highly-skilled warrior, soldier, bodyguard and now a family man to be.'

When they get outside, they see a tan SUV and Tessa gets into the front seat while Sousuke and Kaname get into the back seat. Once Kalinin is inside the driver's seat, the group heads for Sengawa and school. Upon arrival, they see Masatami's limousine there already, with Washio in the driver's seat.

"Oh, by the way Madam Captain, there's a young man that Kaname and I think will be just perfect for you. His name's Masatami Hyuga. Kaname has all the details about him as far as I know."

Kaname nods and takes it from there. "Masatami had his heart broken by a cousin that he was very crazy about and gotten sick afterwards. He held a pretty mean grudge against her. When we saw him again yesterday, it looked like he had recovered his wits."

"How mean a grudge, Miss Chidori?"

"He would freak out, his eyes would bulge out and he'd shout out what he'd do to her. But, like I said, it looks like he'd calmed down considerably." Tessa's face pales slightly and she gamely swallows.

"Well, I guess I could stand to meet someone outside of Mithril. Who knows? He might be a fellow 'Whispered'." She then smiles at Kaname and adds, "Impending parenthood suits both you and Lieutenant Sagara, Miss Chidori. Has he started kicking yet? Other than at the apartment, that is."

"Yep, yesterday, and he's definitely going to be like his Father. A fighter and a survivor. A regular chip off the old block. Hopefully, not as destructive though." Kaname smirks lovingly at Sousuke and puts his hand onto her belly.

"Of course, if Sousuke didn't have his skills, the world would have come to an end long ago. If Sousuke Jr inherits his Daddy's skills, it could be a blessing of sorts."

Both Kalinin and Tessa chuckle at that, with Sousuke giving Kaname a perplexed look. Kalinin then says, "Well, if the Lieutenant's son is anything like his Father, Commander Mardukas just might think about enlisting him into Mithril in the Officers' Corps. He'd make a fine Officer."

Kaname scowls at this and asks, "Don't you think that'll be something for Sousuke Jr to decide for himself? With all due respect, Lieutenant Commander, Sousuke did more in his life before joining and for the world as part of Mithril given his circumstances. Our son will have something that Sousuke was so cruelly denied. A childhood free of having to learn warfare just to survive. Parents who'll be able to see him grow and thrive into a mature young man." At that, Kaname starts sobbing, with Sousuke wrapping his arms around her.

Kalinin feels heavily for the young 'Whispered' woman and her mate. He then clears his throat and says, "Yes, he was cruelly denied that. I can't help but feel somewhat responsible for what had happened. To him and his parents."

"But you weren't, Lieutenant Commander. Nor were you responsible for what had happened to Sousuke's parents. I apologize. My remarks were way out of line. This pregnancy is making me nuts."

"No need to apologize, Miss Chidori. I was out of line in my comment about your unborn son following in Lieutenant Sagara's footsteps. If he has the Lieutenant's skills in his genes, he'd be very formidable."

"Hmm, let's see. A child of a 'Whispered' and a Specialist. If he does turn out to have the 'Whispered' genes and Sousuke's skills, he'd certainly be a force to be reckoned with. Miss Chidori, I look forward to meeting with your son when he turns four years old. After all, it's how old I was when I solved that equation."

"Have you done more research on people like us, Tessa?"

"No, I haven't. When you asked me in New York, I only suggested what I did. But, when you told me about your pregnancy on the way to Shanghai, it got me to thinking deeply about it. Well, shall we go inside? We can discuss the topic some more during lunch."

Sousuke nods and replies, "Very good, Madam Captain."

"Please, Sousuke. When I'm not on duty, just call me Tessa."

"Roger, Tessa." Both Tessa and Kaname giggle as the three teens leave the SUV.

"I'll head inside in a few minutes, Madam Captain. I just need to park the vehicle in a more appropriate spot so I can speak with your Principal and teachers."

"The usual alias, Mr. Kalinin?"

"Yes."

"Very well, Mr. 'Preminin'. See you inside." Kalinin nods as Tessa closes the door and follows the young couple inside. As the SUV pulls forward, Tessa rushes to catch up with Sousuke and Kaname. "Sousuke, Kaname, a moment, please."

"Tessa? What is it?"

"Miss Chidori, I understand and sympathize with your stance regarding the Lieutenant's childhood. Your stance regarding your son is quite justified. But, you lost your emotional grip when you spoke about Sousuke losing his parents and your intent that your son will have you both to nurture him. Even more, you said it'll be the child's choice whether or not to join Mithril. Do you really feel that strongly about Mithril?"

"Well, I know you guys do great work all over the world. But there has to be a limit as to how many recruits or potential recruits Mithril can enroll into it's ranks. After all, life doesn't mean much to some people anymore."

"I agree, Kaname. But, Mr. Kalinin didn't mean any harm with his suggestion."

"What suggestion? And who's Mr. Kalinin?" Ono-D comes up and smiles upon recognizing Tessa. "Hey, how's it going, Miss Testarossa? Here for another two week exchange?"

"No, I'm afraid not, Mr. Onodera. I'm may be here for two weeks, but I have a lot of things to do. Although, I had such a good time the last time I was here, I decided to come back for two weeks. After all, in the States, we only have one week off for this time of the year."

"Oh, that's too bad. I'm sure Ren, Mizuki and Kyoko are looking forward to the hot springs. It's unfortunate that Kaname can't come along for the baby's sake. Oh yeah. That's right. Sousuke and Kaname are having a baby. Oof."

Ono-D gets the back of his knee kicked in with his head wrapped into Sousuke's arm and turns to see the young soldier. "What was that for, Sousuke? I was just telling Tessa your happy news."

"Tessa is a friend of ours. She already knows about the impending birth of our son."

Ono-D nods as Sousuke releases him from the arm-wrap. "Whoa, how'd you do that, Sousuke?"

Sousuke smirks as he replies, "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

"Oh I get it. The otaku conventions. Yeah. That move sure felt Military. Very effective, Sousuke." Ono-D waves at them as he goes on, with Masatami making his way toward them.

"Hello Sousuke and Kaname." Masatami's eyes go wide at the sight before him. A young woman with platinum-colored hair and grey eyes. Though the eyes aren't quite as cold as Sousuke's. "Is this your sister, Sousuke?"

"Not quite. Masatami Hyuga, this is Teletha Testarossa, Tessa to her friends. Tessa, this is Masatami Hyuga."

"Teletha 'Tessa' Testarossa. Your name sends powerful revs up and down my spine."

Tessa blushes and giggles at that, knowing that he's referring to the sports car that her family was named after. "That's really flattering of you, Masatami. Thank you."

Kaname slightly smirks at it and says, "At least he got better with the flattery. When I told him my name, he said it was like an unassuming slug that slithered it's way into his ear." Masatami cringes and then nervously chuckles, putting his hand behind his head.

"I'm sorry about that, Miss Kaname. At the time, I was still pretty sore about what my cousin did. Oh, I just heard from her the other day. She and her husband are expecting a baby very soon."

"How'd it make you feel? When you told me about her elopement, you went nuts."

Masatami blushes and nods, saying, "I know. I thought about what you and Sousuke said. Promises made when you are a child doesn't really stick for years. Instead of showing my spirit when I learned about her elopement, I showed my weakness. It took me a while, but I accepted it. I guess some people fall in love by accident." He then starts laughing and adds, "In her case, it was literally."

"Ah, Miss Testarossa, I see you made a new friend."

"Indeed, Mr. Preminin. This is Masatami Hyuga. Masatami, this is Sousuke's foster Father, Andrei Preminin."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Hyuga."

"Likewise, Mr. Preminin."

As Masatami shakes Mr. 'Preminin's hand, he gets a good look at the man's eyes and sees the same thing in Sousuke's eyes from that time in the villa. A steel will, iron determination and calculated ruthlessness. The last item causes a chill to run along Masatami's spine, resulting in a slight shudder on Masatami's part.

Mr. 'Preminin' catches the shudder and asks, "Are you all right, Masatami?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you. I'm sorry about that, Mr. Preminin. But I've been feeling chills of late. Must be the humidity around here." He then nervously chuckles, hoping to assure the Russian that he'll be all right.

Nonplussed, the Russian catches onto the unease that's pouring from Masatami and bends down into his ear, whispering, "It's all right to be frightened. But you don't have to be frightened of me or my 'son'. In some ways, we are alike while we really aren't. Is that clear?"

Masatami swallows as he replies, "Yes, sir."

"Very good. I'm going to speak with your Principal and teachers after you go to class, Sousuke. I hope you won't have any more blasts or stuns the rest of the week." The man can't help another slight glint of amusement in his eyes as he adds, "But, if it can't be helped, then it can't be helped."

"Yes sir. I'll do what I can to minimize the damage for the remainder of the week." Kaname manages to cover a snicker, as do Tessa and Masatami, at Sousuke's remark.

In his terms, 'minimize the damage' usually results in the high yen amounts. 'Maximize the damage' involves total damage, if not complete destruction of a city. For Sousuke is a 'Demolition Man' type. He just does his job and things get demolished. Sadly, some people that came across his path learned not to mess around with him the hard way. The Karate Club, the street gangs, the terrorists he had fought and the Soviets in Afghanistan.

Mr. 'Preminin' chuckles at the thought of Sousuke trying to 'minimize' the damages he usually incurs on the school grounds and off the same grounds. "As long as you do your best, I won't have a problem with it, 'son'. Miss Chidori, I trust you'll look after him along with yourself and my 'grandson'. Miss Testarossa, Sousuke will be watching over you as usual, with Miss Mao coming by to provide assistance should it be required."

"Yes, Mr. 'Preminin'. That sounds like a very prudent idea. I just hope Melissa's not delayed by the weather like she was last time around. Sousuke was lucky last time Tessa was here. He almost ran himself into a grave, running on all cylinders without a single bit of rest. Mr. 'Testarossa' made sure of that the previous night the last time Tessa visited."

"I see. I'll have to speak with him about that next time I see him." With that, Mr. 'Preminin' turns around and says, "Now, go to class, 'son'. I'll pick you three up after school."

Sousuke smiles and replies, "Roger, 'Dad'." With that, he, Kaname, Tessa and Masatami go on to their school day.

Kalinin smirks at that and softly says, "I wish I was your Father, Sousuke. But I'll do what I can to keep an eye on you for him. I'm sure your Mother and Father would want it that way." With that, the Mithril Lieutenant Commander goes to see Principal Tsuboi before he leaves the school grounds.

As hoped, the day goes by without incident. Sousuke and Kaname learn that the JSDF had taken Shirai into it's custody for theft of Government property, insubordination and attempting to flee custody. The explosives he had stolen were all recovered when they arrived at the school the previous day.

In fact, one of the Base's Officers wanted to know who had taken the material down without causing more damage. When they saw the destroyed locker section, they learned that the school blamed Shirai for destroying it, as he had written a letter of challenge to Sousuke. As a result, Shirai was discharged from the JSDF under 'Less than Honorable' circumstances and expelled from Jindai High.

The Music Club even tries to engage Sousuke and Tessa in an embarrassingly ridiculous bet involving flirting with each other. Their minds are totally blown when Sousuke declines the bet, stating that he's engaged to Kaname and Tessa refuses the bet as well.

When one of them attacks Sousuke, he winds up on the floor, with Sousuke's Glock pointed right at his head. Only difference is, Kaname doesn't strike Sousuke with the halisen. Instead, she uses it on the member of the Music Club, along with his buddies.

"Next time you try a bet like that, be sure it's not an otaku! Idiots!"

After that, the rest of the day goes by peacefully, with no explosions on Sousuke's part. Of course, that includes Sousuke's tutorials for the two Mothers regarding ordnance handling. As nervous as they were, they were somehow able to keep from dropping explosives susceptible to detonation via impacts. Miraculously enough, they were even able to retain bladder control even though they were scared senseless.

At the end of the school day, Sousuke, Kaname and Tessa meet up with Kalinin outside the school and proceed to make their plans for the days ahead at Merida Island. The rest of the week goes by without further incident, clearing the way for them to leave Tokyo while the teachers get more material together.

Problem is, it'll wind up taking three weeks. Which is really good, for little do they realize Mithril and Team Hawk will be thrust into another partnership with one more group to accomplish a common goal. Rescuing a group of couples from very bad people.

Author's notes: Wow, who'd have thought it would take 40-plus pages to do this here chapter? I sure didn't. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the conjoined story with it. Later.


	4. Waiting and Birthday Month 6

Seven Months p 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible, Street Hawk or Full Metal Panic! Wish I did though.

Author's Notes: This chapter takes place during 'Full Metal Rescue!'. This is Kim and Kaname's account from when the Tuatha de Danaan departed from Merida Island in Chapter 4. It has an ending you don't want to miss. Seriously, you don't!

Waiting and Birthday: Month 6

Two hours after leaving the submarine bay, Kaname and Kim both sigh as they plop themselves down onto the sofa of the guest quarters of the Merida Island Base. The last two weeks had been very relaxing for the happy and ecstatic Mothers-to-be.

Kim with Ron and Kaname with Sousuke. Just the two couples, having picnics every day. Along with Kim watching Ron, Jessica, Hirotaka, Norman and Bonnie train in piloting Arm Slaves, silently wishing she could join in the fun. Then came the current mission to rescue the Tracy couples.

After leaving the sub bay, Kaname took Kim out to Sousuke's special fishing spot. Upon arrival, they just sat down and admired the ocean view. When Kim started having a craving, with Kaname not far behind, both women gingerly got up and headed for the Mess Hall. A cook on duty saw them and grinned as he took their orders.

Kaname ordered chili macaroni with barbecue sauce and Kim ordered the same, only with chocolate syrup on there with the sauce. Both of them ate their cravings with gusto and sat back satisfied after filling their bellies.

The cook could only keep his laughter in check, barely, as he watched the two women eat. Happily pregnant was one thing. But a woman that's pregnant getting upset over laughter? No way, bubba. He's certainly not suicidal.

Back in the present, Kaname lets out a light belch as she thinks, 'Just when Sousuke has to go back into the field and I can't do a darn thing. Let alone be on the sub!'

Surprisingly enough, Kim's thinking the same thing. Almost. 'As Ron would say, this tanks! But, they do have a good point. Besides, I don't think it'd be a good idea for me to give birth out in the field. Let alone in a submarine.'

Kaname then smirks as she looks at her belly and says, "This is no one's fault. Sousuke and the others have a very good point. A sub is no place for a pregnant lady. Especially a sub that's about to go on a mission. Too many things can go wrong in the field."

Kim nods in agreement and says, "I know what you mean, Kaname. In all our years of saving the world, I never imagined Ron would be so badly hurt. I hate to say this, but there are times when I feel responsible for what happened to Ron. I know he told me to let go of the guilt, that he doesn't blame me one bit. I blamed myself for it though. One time, he gave me the sweetest surprise Christmas present. Or at least he tried to."

"This I gotta hear. What happened?"

"One of our late foes, Dr. Drakken, tried to take over the world on Christmas Eve." At Kaname's shocked gasp, Kim nods and goes on. "When Ron found out, he decided he'd step up to the plate and stop Drakken all by himself. That was the first part of the surprise."

"What happened then?"

"Well, apparently, the two of them had fought for control of Drakken's aircraft when Ron ejected all the escape pods and triggered the self-destruct system. So the two of them ducked into a trash pod and jettisoned it away from the craft just as it blew up. That's when my part of the adventure began. Wade contacted me with a new Kimmunicator and told me about what Ron had done. So, I began searching for Ron, using the signals from the homing beacons on the escape pods, which were all empty."

"How'd you find Ron in the end?"

"You see, when I found the last pod and saw no sign of Ron, I was afraid he'd died. In fact, I was so sure of it, I started crying. It was the closest I felt to being a widow as I could feel. Ron's been such a big part of my life. He'd always been there for me."

"Yeah. The same is with Sousuke. Even though we only met a couple of years before, I had the feeling that he would become very important to me. Along with very, oh, how should I put this?"

"How about intangible? That's the basis that Global Justice had based their project on Ron on."

"Yeah, that'll work just fine, Kim. Now, back to your story."

"Yeah. When I got back to my family, the tweebs were watching an extreme sports competition on the Kimmunicator. That was when I got the second and biggest surprise, if not the most bizarre. Shego on the scene. Somehow, I didn't peg Shego to be an extreme sports fanatic, so I thought I might have found a lead to Ron. Sure enough, I did. Or rather the tweebs did. Which led to surprise number three. I found Ron and Drakken had put aside their differences and called a truce for the season."

Kim then giggles and adds, "The ironic part was that Snowman Hank had been canceled for the year and the Extreme sports program was on in it's place. When I found Ron, I had run right into a massive snowman that looked like Snowman Hank. Which led to surprise four. I kissed Ron on his cheek under some parsley that he had found and Drakken called it Mistletoe."

"Aww, that's so sweet. Was that before or after the Moodulators?"

"It was before. I'm surprised you even know about them."

"Bonnie told us while we were in the tub together on the Tuatha de Danaan."

Incredulously in disbelief, Kim arches an eyebrow and asks, "Did you just say tub?"

"Yep. Sure did. Of course, it's actual purpose is cleaning AS parts, with the cleaning chemicals in a separate tank. So it can be safely used by people. Although, I think Tessa enjoys soaking in the tub most of all. Seeing that she had designed the Tuatha de Danaan."

"Wow, that's very impressive."

"Uh-huh, that it is. Oh, subject change. In your years of saving the world, did Ron ever safe your life?"

"Yep. Several times. There's one time he saved my life in particular. It was when Drakken tried blushing me out of existence. It was a close call. Too close for comfort."

"What happened?"

"After a procession of failed plots for world conquest, Drakken decided on another tactic. Only, this time, he nearly succeeded. He wanted me to embarrass myself to death. He sprayed me with pollen from a rare Amazonian flower and watched my most humiliating moments. The first of which was when I fell down the stairs at the mall in front of a guy I was ferociously crushing on. And no, it wasn't Ron. When Wade found the source, Ron went by himself, along with Rufus and the Wade-bot, to the Amazon Rain-forest. While he was gone, I foolishly accepted a date with Josh Mankey, even though it would be hazardous for me to do so."

"What happened then?"

"Let's see. Shego dressed as a server and delivered a dribble glass that dribbled soda onto my dress and I blushed. Then came the embarrassment ninjas. Along with the tweebs. By far, the ones that did the most damage were the ninjas. By the time Ron got to me, I was a floating head without a mouth.

He sent the pollen my way and it reversed the effects. I then told Josh my favorite food combo. Hot-dogs and marshmallows. And then he kissed me. That night, I also wanted to kiss Ron for braving such a perilous journey. But then those darn moodulators came along and played havoc with my emotions."

"That must have been bizarre, twisted and warped, Kim."

"It was, Kaname. It was." Looking around the room, Kim then snickers and remarks, "It's too bad there are no magazines here. Then again, not many subscribers live on top secret island bases for anti-terrorist organizations."

The subject change has Kaname laughing softly, adding, "Yeah, I'll say. Besides, if there were magazines, they'd undoubtedly be about guns and assault tactics. I get enough of that from this little guy's Daddy." She then softly strokes her belly and smiles.

"Whose Daddy, Miss Chidori?" Commander Richard Mardukas' grim visage comes into view on the room's communications screen.

"Sousuke Jr's, Commander Mardukas. Thinking of, how's the Lieutenant holding up?"

"Lieutenant Sagara is holding his own, although I can't say the same for Ms. Rockwaller. She's in the hangar right now, going over the specs for the M9 Gernsback. This is the kind of Arm Slave she'll be piloting during the mission in it's underwater configuration." The screen splits off, revealing a diagram of the M9 Gernsback with the underwater module attached.

Kim nods in agreement and says, "That sounds sensible. Being familiar with or learning about something you're not used to piloting can pay off at the end."

"Thirty-eight times?"

Kaname asks, "Sir?"

"She's gone over the specs thirty-eight times as it is. If she was any more nervous, she'd want to see the specs on the 'Arbalest', as if she'd be intent on piloting it."

"Do you have family, Commander Mardukas?"

"No, I can't say I do, Miss Chidori."

"I have a sister, as you already know. If she was in danger and if I wasn't pregnant, I'd want to familiarize myself with everything available to me. Just to keep morbidly dark thoughts out of my head. Right now, those specs are the only thing keeping her from thinking morbidly dark thoughts. Just like I wish you guys had magazines in here so they could be read."

"Actually, there are some magazines inside the cabinet below the screen. They're sorted by type. Be it sports to adult entertainment. And don't worry about subscriptions either. The magazines are bought at various stores and then brought to the island. It may be crude, but it's very secure like that."

"Okay, let's see if you have any bridal or maternity magazines in here." Kim then opens the cabinet and sees no sign of bridal or maternity magazines. "Nope. None at all."

"I apologize, but since the members of Mithril do not have time for families or planning, we're woefully under-prepared. Lieutenant Sagara is the very first one of our ranks to stumble across this."

Kaname nods in agreement and says, "Yeah, Sousuke is a wild one all right. How soon are you heading out?"

"We're underway as we speak, Miss Chidori and Mrs. Stoppable. We left out as soon as you left the sub-bay. By the way, the Lieutenant and Mr. Stoppable are working on a traditional letter. Just to be on the safe side."

Kaname, having a sickening feeling, asks, "A letter? You mean the kind that a soldier writes to his loved ones if he doesn't make it back?"

"Yes. Since you are the closest the Lieutenant has to family, he's writing it to you."

"What about Luke? He's Sousuke's cousin. Wait a minute? Doesn't he think he'll survive this one?"

"He'll do everything in his power to return, Miss Chidori. You know that and heard his promise. However, keep in mind the last time he went on a mission before the Shanghai op, he went with a group from the Indian Ocean Fleet. He was the sole survivor, other than Gauron."

"Oh yeah. The Helmajistan op. He blamed himself for it, didn't he?"

"He did. But he also knows he can only be in one place at one time. Along with only do so much."

"Therefore, if you remain focused on one place alone, you can either survive or die."

"I'm afraid so, Miss Chidori." Mardukas then smiles softly as he adds, "Never give up the faith, but always remember that a soldier's life is unpredictable."

"Even if the soldier is unpredictable as well?" That has him laughing as Kaname softly giggles after saying it. Even Kim is softly giggling as she thinks about how unpredictable Ron can be himself.

Mardukas is still chortling as he replies, "Even if that, Miss Chidori. Even if that. Tell you what. Before they launch, I'll have the Lieutenant contact you. The same for Mr. Stoppable for Mrs. Stoppable." Kim nods eagerly in agreement in front of the screen.

'Undoubtedly so I could see his kind face one more time if it goes bad afterward.' Kaname then smiles softly and says, "Thank you, Commander Mardukas. So, how are they deploying for the mission?"

"As I said before, underwater. The Mithril Arm Slaves are getting their underwater units put onto them while Team Hawk's assigned Arm Slaves are being painted to match their usual uniforms. After the painting is completed, those Arm Slaves will get the underwater units attached to them."

"That explains the diagram you showed us."

Kim nods and says, "I gotta say, this is going to be the first time Team Hawk used Arm Slaves instead of our usual vehicles. Then again, those vehicles aren't exactly meant for use underwater. So it would make sense for them that way."

Mardukas can only nod in agreement as Kaname shrugs and pulls out a magazine about firearms.

"Since I'm going to marry Sousuke, I might as well try matching his knowledge of firearms somewhat. Commander Mardukas?"

"Yes, Miss Chidori?"

"Would you happen to know when Sousuke's birthday is?"

"I'm afraid not, Miss Chidori. If anyone knows, it's bound to be Luke."

"Understood. I'll have to contact him from the Communications Room. Just gotta find it and walk myself there."

"No need to, Miss Chidori. The monitor you're at is patched right into the Communications Room. Just press the red button at the bottom of the display, tell the Communications Officer the connection you wish to make and it'll be done."

"Oh. Thank you, Commander Mardukas. I look forward to seeing Sousuke's face again."

"I don't doubt that, Miss Chidori. Shall I inform the Lieutenant about your plan?"

"Negative, sir. I'll do that in my own time. Hopefully, it's not next week. That's just way too close for comfort. Even I'm not senseless enough to surprise Sousuke. I know that the pregnancy news threw him for a loop."

"They certainly did, Miss Chidori. They threw everyone for a loop for that matter. Ending transmission."

"Roger. Good luck." At that, the screen blips off and Kaname presses the button that Mardukas had told her about.

"Communications."

"This is Kaname Chidori. I'd like to open a connection to Luke Sagara in Detroit, Michigan."

"Right away, Miss Chidori. Wait one, please." A minute later, the connection is complete.

"This is Luke."

"Luke, hi, it's Kaname."

"Kaname, hello. How's my unborn cousin doing?"

"He's doing fine. He started kicking last month. He's going to be just like his Daddy. How's Elizabeth doing?"

"She's doing fine. We're living together now. So, what's new in your world?"

"Actually, that's part of the reason I'm calling you. I know that you hadn't seen Sousuke in years, but I'm pretty sure you know when his birthday is."

"I certainly do."

"When is it?"

"Middle of next week, Sousuke'll be turning eighteen years of age."

"Next week? That's not enough time to plan a party! I'd have to tell him he has a birthday party coming up soon. I don't think I'd have to tell you how Sousuke doesn't like being surprised these days."

"Actually, when he was younger, he had a surprise birthday party for his eighth birthday. He seemed to enjoy it rather well."

'That's when Sousuke was orphaned!' Kaname then sighs and says, "I'll have to go the direct route then. I'll tell Sousuke he has a birthday coming up soon. That'll take the edge off, hopefully."

"Why ruin the surprise?"

"Hey, if you want to get shot by Sousuke's Glock, you go right ahead! But I'm not going to take the chance of being shot at all! I'll just tell Sousuke that he has a birthday coming up and a birthday is a celebration of sorts regarding a person's birth." Luke chuckles in agreement.

"Yeah. I guess Sousuke hasn't had a birthday in so long, he's forgotten all about it. Anything else, Kaname?"

"Nope. Just wanted some intel on Sousuke." She then gasps at her wording and blushes at Luke's kind laughter.

"Now I know you've been hanging around Sousuke too long. What's next? You're going to start packing a gun and explosives all the time?"

Kaname shrugs and replies, "If it happens, it happens. But I seriously doubt it'll go that far. Talk to you later, Luke."

"Later, Kaname." At that, the communication ends and Kaname smiles softly.

"So the great war machine known as Sousuke Sagara has a birthday after all. I'll have to do it subtly. Otherwise, the whole thing will be ruined." She then opens the gun magazine to find some inspiration.

Curious, Kim asks, "Can I help?"

"Yeah, that'd be great. Let's see. First, I need some ideas for a cake and presents. Since Sousuke sticks his gun into his pants at times, he's probably without a holster. That's an idea right there. Hmm, I wonder if there are bakeries that do cakes shaped like firearms."

Shaking her head, Kim says, "Japan's bound to not have bakeries that specialized. Which means the party's going to have to be here at the island or we can have the staff make the cake and have it transported to your apartment. Yes, that sounds more tactically sound than the former. Just gotta find the kitchen." Kaname nods in agreement and pictures Sousuke's face for when he sees the gathering.

Before she gets too engrossed into the imagery, she says, "Kim, I'll be right back. I'm gonna see if I can find the way to the kitchen. Once I get there, I'll tell them what I have in mind and be right back. In the meantime, why don't you see about what to get Ron for his birthday."

Kim giggles and says, "Yeah. It's about two months away. You guys can come and bring your friends if you like."

"I'd like that, Kim. I just hope there won't be any Street Hawk emergencies to ruin his birthday."

With that, Kaname leaves the guest quarters and heads for a nearby map. "Okay, I'm here and the kitchen is on the next level. Oh man. I better ask for help on this one." She then makes her way to the CQ desk and smiles. "Hi, any chance you can get someone to help me in getting to the kitchen?"

"Sure thing, Miss Chidori. But, shouldn't you take it easy in your condition?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But I really want to do something special for Lieutenant Sagara's birthday."

His interest peaked, the CQ asks, "What do you have in mind, ma'am?"

"A cake, shaped like a pistol. Preferably the one he uses most of all. His trusty Glock 17."

"Intriguing. Okay. Tell you what I'll do. I'll get on the horn to the kitchen and tell them what you have in mind. Afterwards, I'll take you back to your quarters. You look a little winded right now and could use some rest."

"But, shouldn't I be involved in it?"

"You already are, ma'am. You came up, told me what you wanted and how you wanted it. If that's not involvement, I don't know what is. Let me call the kitchen and see about making the arrangements."

Kaname nods as the CQ picks up the phone and calls in. "Kitchen? This is the desk. I have a request by Miss Chidori. Yes, she would like a cake to be made. That's right. Shaped like a Glock 17. It's for Lieutenant Sagara's birthday. Just one." He then cups the receiver and asks, "When is it?"

"The middle of next week." The CQ nods and relays the information, chortling as he does so. When he's done, he hangs up the phone, still chortling.

Puzzled, Kaname asks, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing much, ma'am. It's just that the thought of the ultimate warrior having a birthday coming up within the next week is bound to cause some chuckles. In our line of work, you may break some knuckles, but you rarely ever get some chuckles." He then asks, "Does anyone else know about this?"

"Let's see. His cousin, Mrs. Stoppable and I know, along with you and the kitchen staff. Other than that, I'm afraid not. Maybe I can tell my classmates when we get back to Tokyo along with Team Hawk, that way they could be at the party. Of course, they'd have to be there as themselves, not their other selves. You know what I... Oof." Kaname had just felt a very strong kick.

"You okay, Miss Chidori?"

"Yeah. This little guy's wanting to come out and train from the feel of it." She can't help but grin proudly as she strokes her now nearly six-month belly. "You're going to be just like your Daddy, Sousuke. Strong, a survivor and always training. Chances are, you probably started training as soon as you were conceived. You're getting to be almost as strong as he is. I just hope you are as gentle as he is."

The CQ then smiles and says, "Why don't I take you back to the quarters, Miss Chidori? Something tells me you want to tell the little guy about his Dad."

"Yeah, I do. Thank you."

The CQ nods, gets up and escorts Kaname back to the guest quarters, closing the door after she has a seat and returns to his post. Kim helps Kaname back to the seat by moving a magazine out of the way and Kaname sits down. With a proud smile on her face.

"Should I tell you about your Father? Boy, that's a tough one. Yeah, I think I should, just to keep my mind away from painful thoughts. Essentially, this is him in a nutshell. At first, I thought he was a freak, with a very fierce devotion to the Military. Well, it wasn't far from the truth. He then went on to become my Life Insurance Agent and Policy. He's kept me safe, for the most part. And now, he's the love of my life and your Father." At that, Kaname begins telling the unborn baby all about his Father and all the things he had done in the past.

All the while, Kim is speaking softly to her nine-month belly. Three minutes later, Kim is deep asleep, a soft and maternal smile on her face. Kaname looks over at the sleeping redhead and sees the soft smile. She can't help but wonder if she'll be that content when she reaches the time of giving birth. She then resumes her story, pausing to chuckle or when Sousuke Jr kicks.

Two hours later, in the middle of her story, the console beeps and Kaname gingerly gets up. "Chidori."

"Miss Chidori, I have a trio of transmissions for you and Mrs. Stoppable. Two are from the TDD-1 and the other's from New York, the UN Building. The one from the UN Building is being relayed through a Tokyo safe house. Shall I patch them through?"

"Yes please. The TDD-1 first. I think it might be Sousuke and Ron. The other one's probably my Father." With that, she wakes Kim, saying, "We've got calls, Kim."

"Okay, I'm up. Let me at 'em." Kim goes over to another console and nods her readiness.

Kaname grins and says, "Go ahead and patch them through, please."

"Very well, Miss Chidori. Patching in now. Okay, gentlemen, you're connected."

"Kaname/KP?"

"Sousuke/Ron. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine, Kaname. We're about to deploy. I'm inside Arbalest right now and the AS chambers are flooding."

"I'm doing fine, Kim. We're about to head out and we've got water coming in here. There's something else too."

"What's that, Ron?"

"You look very badical in your blue dress, KP."

Kim blushes rosily as she replies, "Thanks, Ron. Be careful and good hunting."

Sousuke looks intently into Kaname's eyes and she quivers on the inside. 'He's giving me strength through his eyes. Strength of steel, enter me.'

Kaname then blinks and says, "I see. I don't want to keep you then. Good luck and kick their asses for abducting the Tracy couples."

"Urzu-7/Street Hawk, roger." At that, the communications end and both Kaname and Kim sigh, wanting to see the scar-faced/boyish visages of their beloveds up close and personal in living color.

Kim walks back over to the couch, a worried expression on her face. Soon, the expression turns back into a soft maternal smile. The other transmission then comes through for Kaname, revealing Shunya's smiling face.

"Hi Daddy. How're you doing?"

"I'm doing fine, Kaname. How's my grandson doing?"

"Oh, he's doing just fine. I was just telling him about his Father."

Shunya cringes in mock horror as he says, "Leave out the scary parts, Kaname. Don't want him turning out to be like his Father. Thinking of, where is Sousuke at?"

"He's on his way to another mission, Daddy. Mithril and Team Hawk have joined forces once again."

Concerned, he then asks, "Is it Luke again?"

"Negative on that. This time, it's the Tracy couples. They've been abducted by an old enemy of the original Street Hawk. Along with some guy named the Hood."

"Any idea as to who the old enemy is?"

"A woman named Simone Prevera. She has some kind of beef with the original Street Hawk. Even though the original one has been dead for the past twenty years."

"Must be a pretty mean grudge for it to be that long. I guess Sousuke'll be 'introducing' the Arbalest to her."

"Yeah, I guess. Although I can't help but wonder if she'll enjoy being 'introduced' or be scared out of her mind."

"I don't see how someone evil would enjoy being 'introduced' to an Arm Slave like Arbalest, even if it is one of a kind. Just like my future son-in-law." His tone is one of incredible disbelief. Mixed in with pride.

Kaname smirks and asks, "You're still in proud disbelief, aren't you? I can hardly believe it myself, but I'm wearing the proof of our engagement right now."

"He gave you a ring? What does it look like?"

"It has two settings, both with diamonds. One setting is a Cherry Blossom while the other one is a grenade. It's Sousuke's way of blending our two worlds together."

Shunya smiles and chuckles as he ponders it, saying, "If anyone can tame him, you can, Kaname. But don't expect him to be around for Sousuke Jr's birth. After all, a soldier's life is always in peril when out in the field. I should know. I faced quite a few dangers back in the day. Land mines, hand grenades, sniper rounds, all that crazy stuff."

"Yeah, well, I seriously doubt if you had to go through locker detonations half the time. Even hearing a fully automatic machine pistol rapidly fire rounds at a gang of tough guys or even a crazed war nut shooting a video game screen with a real gun. I have been there and seen it happen. I had to be. After all, someone has to look after my graceful maniac and his even more graceful antics." With that last part, she adds a soft and proud smile.

"Yeah, I guess so, Kaname. Oh, Ayame wants to talk to you. Go ahead, Ayame."

Suddenly, Ayame's face comes up and she starts smiling. "Hey, Kaname! How's my little baby nephew doing?"

"He's doing just fine, Ayame. Right now, I think he's resting from doing his training. Right inside me, no less. He's definitely going to be like his Daddy. Of course, I doubt very much that Sousuke's Mother had Sousuke training when he was inside her. But there's going to be one thing different. He'll have both of us to raise and care for him. Maybe he won't come out to be like Sousuke did after he lost his parents. If he wants to join the Military, at least he'll be ready."

"How's that, sis?"

"Because Sousuke's wanting to teach him a few things about his skills. He's thinking marksmanship and Arm Slave piloting to start off with. When he turns five at least."

Ayame's grin is prominent as she says, "I can just picture it already, Kaname. Like Father, like son."

"Hopefully, he'll only look like his Father, not become like him. Of course, having some of his Father's skills could come in handy for the little one. There is no doubt in my mind that his grandparents would have loved meeting him. I know I would have enjoyed meeting them, if they had lived."

"You would have wanted them to see him get married, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, I would have. It simply isn't right that Sousuke had to take up arms just to survive and his parents died before then. I know a child is supposed to outlive his parents, but that is just plain lousy the hand they were dealt. I mean, they should have at least lived to see their grandson."

"It worked out for the best, though, didn't it? I mean, Sousuke learned to defend himself and others. Now, he's fighting the good fight and protecting you. Along with being engaged to you and about to become a Father. Do you think he'll be as good as Daddy was?"

"I'd certainly like to see that, Ayame. I know he'll try his best, even though his mind is constantly locked in combat mode. But, that's life after all." Kaname then smirks as she pictures Sousuke feeding the baby before going pale.

"I just hope he doesn't try feeding him protein bars or even MREs. Of course, I don't think they make MREs for babies, so we should be in good shape on that front. Then again, if Sousuke had anything to do with it, it'll probably happen." Ayame's giggling is her reply as Kaname says, "I'll talk to you later, Ayame. I've gotta plan Sousuke's birthday party."

"Okay. Have fun, Kaname." At that, the communication ends and Kaname sighs happily before looking down at her belly and smiling softly.

"I certainly will. I intend to be sure that your Daddy has a good birthday. Even if I have to use my halisen on his head, just to take the gloom away." With that, Kaname lovingly strokes her belly as she walks back to the couch and softly plops herself down. She then feels Sousuke Jr kicking and grins.

"Sorry, baby. I sat down as gently as I could. Let me see, where was I? Oh yeah. The rest of the summer had gone by somewhat quickly. Your Daddy just got back from Helmajistan and was grim-faced. Even more than usual for him. But, one day, when I got to the high school, that melancholy Military maniac was supervising construction of a guard tower. That's right, a frickin' guard tower! Cost of almost one million, five hundred thousand yen! That's nearly the whole budget for the school festival! Even more, the others that were helping him build it felt that everyone should feel safe. But, the only one that would feel safe with that monstrosity would be your Father.

I was so steamed at him that I almost didn't hear him ask his question. He wanted to know if I wanted to go to an island with him. I had never imagined such boldness on his part. So, I accepted and got sprayed with blue paint as I staggered back through the gate. The invitation made me so weak-kneed, I could barely walk. Little did I realize that it would be the Pacific Island Fleet Base for Mithril, which is where we are right now. He even told me that his Captain had wanted to discuss business with me. That made me so angry, I gave him the cold shoulder during most of the flight. Then came the priority message that had changed things a little bit.

He came back, asked me if I had a bathing suit and instructed me to change into it. As I was changing, I had no idea as to what would happen next. Little did I realize that he was setting us both up for a tandem jump. Once I saw him in a wetsuit, I got kinda curious. Next thing I knew, he was fastening me into a harness. Then I became frightened as he walked us to the doorway." She then smiles fondly as she thinks about that jump.

"_What's going on here? Please don't tell me we're about to jump out of an airplane!"_

"_Affirmative!" With that, he threw the both of them out into the sky._

"_HAHAAAAAHHH!" _

_As they both fell along through the air, she thought, 'Blue sky, blue ocean, just the two of us.'_

Kaname frowns as she goes on. "Then came the splash down. I was throttling your Daddy, wanting him to die. Next thing I knew, we were both breathing with small mouthpieces, almost like scuba regulators, as a machine known as a 'turtle' took us to the Tuatha de Danaan. Let no one tell you otherwise, baby. When it comes to making a splash, no one can top your Daddy. One surprise after another. Be it in battle or a regular pool."

With that, Kaname yawns as her vision goes blurry. She had been up since early in the morning and was now feeling very fatigued. She then smiles as she says, "I'll have to finish it later, baby. I'm going to see about a nap. I suggest you take one too, little boy."

She feels another kick and grins proudly. "You'll definitely be like your Daddy. From the feel of that last kick, you should be a soccer, rugby or football player. Maybe even a martial artist. Hopefully, you won't be blowing up lockers at school."

Yawning again, she closes her eyes as she says, "I don't know any lullabies for those that haven't been born yet, so maybe I should try something new. It's a song I heard on the radio one night, waiting for your Father to return to Japan from a mission once. It's from before we even got together. In some ways, it fits us perfectly. After all, your Daddy's a mercenary, the best of the best. But, I still worry about him. I can't help but wonder if he'll come home intact, with another scar, one limb gone or even dead."

She then clears her throat and begins singing her idea.

"_In the heart of the darkness, _

_A light still burns. _

_Takes you back to where you've already gone._

_In the heart of the darkness, _

_A light still burns._

_Takes you back to a memory long ago._

_In the heart of the darkness,_

_She's still there._

_She's holding on to what you shared._

_Is there anyone out there to accept your hand?_

_Hold you close, to help you understand,_

_Is there a future to this life?_

_A soul of a woman, looks for a man._

_When the candle is burning, the search never ends._

_In the heart of the darkness,_

_When it comes down, _

_All you're left is the promise that love will be found. _

_Is there anybody out there to accept your hand, _

_Hold you close, to help you understand,_

_Is there a future to this life?_

_Like it burns in the night._

_Is there a future to this life?_

_Just like the sun and the sky._

_Is there a future to this life?_

_Is there a future to this life?_

_Just for you and I?"_

As she reaches the tail-end of it, she falls asleep with a smile on her face as she softly says, "Good night, baby."

Sixteen hours later, Kaname groggily opens her eyes when she hears two familiar voices in the hallway. She then gets up, goes to and opens the door, smiling when she sees Ron and Sousuke.

"How'd it go, guys?"

Ron replies, "We got them out, but Simone got away. It seems the Hood's sub had escape rockets in the upper levels. Particularly in the Conning Tower. Don't worry, though. We're gonna find Simone and put her in a hurt locker. If not six feet under."

Kaname sighs as she asks, "What about the Hood?"

Sousuke grins as he replies, "Kim's cousin, Joss, managed to grab hold of him inside the sub and put a hot branding iron to his head. The Hood was still screaming his head off as Geybo 8 took him to a Mithril treatment facility. At the current moment, he is under armed guard until our assets within Interpol can take him into official custody. As to his bodyguard, uh."

"Sousuke?"

"Uh."

"Something tells me you did something very mean to him, Sousuke. Spill it!"

"I dropped a concussion grenade down his pants, Kaname. The resultant detonation severed the man's testicles."

"A concussion grenade was dropped down his pants and blew his balls off? Why not just belt him in the chops until he was unconscious? Or shooting him in the balls?"

"I already tried that with my foot, but it didn't work. Same thing with the balls. He was wearing armored pants. So, I went with the law of next-to-last resort. I dropped the concussion grenade down his pants and blew his nuts off."

Kaname can't help a wicked grin as she asks, "Isn't that a tad much? I'm sure he was your size, Sousuke."

"Negative. He was much larger than me. Dropping a concussion grenade down the pants of someone significantly larger than yourself is the only practical way of surviving such an encounter. Besides, the guy must have been on strong steroids. If I had kept fighting cleanly, I might not even be alive right now."

Kaname shakes her head, giggles and grins incredulously as she asks, "When did you ever fight cleanly, Sousuke?"

Sousuke can't help a sarcastic shrug as he replies, "True."

Kaname then giggles again as she looks around and asks, "Where are Bonnie, Jessica and Hirotaka at?"

Ron replies, "They're with the Captain right now. Sousuke and I just got done in debriefing with her and Lieutenant Commander Kalinin. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna check on my sexy wife." With that, he goes over to Kim's side and kisses her lips softly.

Kim opens her green eyes and sees the most beautiful set of brown eyes ever. "Ron!" The redhead wraps her arms around her blond husband and kisses him passionately. "Ron, I missed you."

"Missed you too, KP." Kim then gets up slightly to allow Ron to sit beside her and they wrap into each other's arms to just snuggle.

Kaname nods in approval as she kisses Sousuke softly. "I missed you, Sousuke."

"I missed you too, Kaname." He then gets onto his knees and kisses Kaname's belly, adding, "I missed you as well, son. Were you a good boy for Mommy?" Feeling a kick against Kaname's belly, Sousuke smiles and kisses it again. Kaname blushes as she runs her fingers through Sousuke's hair and smiles softly, her love for him in her eyes.

"He was good for the most part. I bet he's going to be just like you. Fit, trim and ready for anything. I just hope he won't be fully grown when he comes out. I'm looking forward to seeing what you were like as a child, Sousuke."

"Before my parents died, Kaname? Or afterward?"

"Before, Sousuke. Only it'll be very different this time. He'll have the both of us. And who knows? If all goes well, we just might add another Sagara to the roster. Maybe a girl. I don't know yet."

"Hmm. I'd like to see what you were like as a little girl, Kaname. Blue hair, soft and warm brown eyes. A little 'Angel', just like her Mommy."

"Just like I'd like Sousuke Jr to have your brown hair and steel grey eyes. Only his eyes won't be as ice-cold-steel as yours are. His eyes are going to be warm-steel grey eyes. He'll also have a heart of gold, much like you have, Sousuke." Before he can retort, she gently places her fingertips against his lips and goes on.

"Let me clarify that. Right now, you're thinking that a human heart has no valuable metals in it. True. Heart of gold is an expression, meaning someone with a very big heart. Someone caring, brave and determined to see things through. It took me a while, but I can see that you're very caring, Sousuke. It's just hard to tell with all those guns you carry around."

She then removes her fingertips from his lips and asks, "What do you think about that, Sousuke?"

"You might be onto something, Kaname." Unexpectedly, he rises up, gently wraps his arms around her and kisses her passionately. "It took me a while to become caring as well, Kaname. After all, I'm a soldier and a Specialist first."

"Hmm, I know. That's why it was so hard for you at first. Wasn't it?"

"Affirmative."

"Oh! I about forgot. Sousuke, I have something important to tell you."

"Understood. Is it something to do with Mithril?"

Kaname lightly giggles as she shakes her head and replies, "Not quite, Sousuke. Come, sit down beside me. It'll be better if you're sitting down. I don't know how you'd react once you hear what I have to say."

Once they're seated, Sousuke asks, "What's going on, Kaname? Is something wrong with our son?"

"No, he's fine, Sousuke. It actually concerns you."

"Me?"

"Uh-huh. It seems you have a birthday coming up soon."

"Birthday, Kaname? I've heard some people talk about them. They're just regular days as far as I know."

"Let me guess. When the Afghani rebels took you in, they didn't know anything about birthdays. And, as a result, didn't help you celebrate your special days. Does that sum it up?"

Sousuke shrugs and replies, "I guess." A soft smile comes to his face as he says, "I have a slight recollection of a party, back when I was eight. Hats, cake and presents." The smile then turns to a frown as he adds, "Some time later, my parents died."

"I'm sorry, Sousuke. But here's the gist of it. Birthdays are a celebration of a person's birth and the life of that person. Life's a gift that's constant. Let me put it to you in another way. One night, a little over two years ago, my life was saved by a stranger I barely knew. That stranger is now my dearest friend and Fiance. Even though he doesn't know about peaceful surroundings, other than wreaking havoc in them, he does very well on the battlefield."

She then softly kisses Sousuke, adding, "I'm glad you're my Fiance, Sousuke. I don't think I'd make it through life without you."

Before Sousuke can reply, Kim lets out a shriek of pain, with Ron freaking out. "Oh dear. I think it's time, Kim!"

"Thanks for that bit of news, Captain Obvious! Oooowwww!" Sousuke goes over to the communications panel and pages the Medics.

"Medics to the Guest Quarters! Medics to the Guest Quarters! Mrs. Stoppable has gone into labor!" Within two minutes, a Medical Crew arrives with a gurney and gently lifts Kim onto it. As they wheel her out, Ron is right at her side, holding her hand.

As they watch them wheel Kim out, Kaname softly kisses Sousuke's cheek and puts her hands on his arms. "When our baby's born, let's be in Tokyo, Sousuke. Both of us together. Besides, I'm sure Kyoko would have too many questions if he was to be born here on the island. And you know how much of a shutterbug she is."

"Hmm, affirmative." He then places a hand onto her belly and smiles proudly. "I can hardly wait to see him, Kaname."

"I'm feeling the same way, Sousuke." Kaname nuzzles her face into Sousuke's neck and breaths in his scent. "Hmm, I love the scent of your cologne, Sousuke."

"Cologne, Kaname? Oh this. No, it's not cologne, sweetie."

"Oh, what is it? It's turning me on."

"Gun oil." That has Kaname giggling softly as she kisses Sousuke on his scar.

"A rugged and fitting scent for my darling warrior. I'm becoming like you, Sousuke. I'm starting to like things you like. And you know what? I'm loving it." She then looks up at him, grins and adds, "It's gotta be the pregnancy, Sousuke. These hormones are really getting out of hand. But, if I can handle you, I can most definitely handle these hormones."

"Hmm, affirmative. During the mission, I started to feel pains. They came up whenever I thought of you, Kaname. They were very sharp, yet they went by fairly quickly."

"Those must be sympathy pains. If they went by fairly quickly, then that means you're more than capable of handling them, Sousuke. All those years of combat out in the field have honed you well."

The couple chuckles softly as they sit down, with Sousuke nodding off right beside her five minutes afterward. Figuring the mission had run him down significantly, Kaname gingerly puts Sousuke's head in her lap and strokes his hair.

'Sleep tight, my maniacal warrior. You've more than earned it today.'

She then decides to have Sousuke's face pointed toward her abdomen. With a sneaky grin, she gingerly lifts her beloved lunatic's head and gently turns it toward her belly. As she lowers his head, she begins thinking rampant and wanton sexual thoughts.

'If he opens his eyes, he's going to see my panties. Best part is, I want him to. Not only that, but also to take them off and pump me. Not now, Kaname! Now's not the time! Oh, these urges to do something!'

When his head is back on her lap, she lets out a soft and frustrated sigh. 'Oh Sousuke, you are truly a genius for making things even more complicated! Do you realize that? You're making me horny here! Very, very horny!'

Softly chuckling, she then softly adds, "But it's all right, Sousuke. It's all right." Resuming with running her fingers through his hair, she sultrily closes her eyes as she strokes his scalp. With every stroke, she softly smiles, her smile soon becoming maternal as she hums the same song that she had been singing earlier. Very soon, she too nods off, still smiling her warm and maternal smile.

Six hours later, Sousuke opens his eyes and sees Kaname's abdomen. 'Hmm, that's odd. I don't recall putting myself in this posture. Kaname must have done it.' His eyes then bulge when he sees her panties underneath her skirt. 'Yep, Kaname definitely moved my head. I just hope she understands if she sees my eyes open.'

"Like what you see, Sousuke?"

"Affirmative. Gayahh." In a jolt, Sousuke springs up out of Kaname's lap and says, "My apologies, Kaname."

"Not necessary, Sousuke. Matter of fact, I wanted you to see my panties." With a blush, she slightly turns away. Only to feel her head being gently turned back Sousuke's way.

"Really, Kaname?"

"Uh-huh. Not only that, but I also wanted you to do something more." With an impish grin on her face, she gently bends forward and whispers into Sousuke's ear. "I want you to do me, Sousuke. Right here, right now if you feel like it."

"But, won't it hurt the baby, Kaname?"

Kaname groans and nods, saying, "Best to not take chances then, Sousuke. Then again, there's one thing I can do that won't endanger the baby." At that, she begins to reach for Sousuke's belt when she hears footsteps approaching the room. "We better hold off on that as well, Sousuke. Preferably until we're back in Tokyo."

"Roger." Next thing they know, a weary Ron comes into the room and plops down onto the couch. Sousuke notices this and asks, "Is everything okay, Ron?"

"Oh, just peachy, Sousuke. Especially since we have another set of triplets to go with our first group. We're so gonna need a bigger house."

Ecstatic, Kaname asks, "What's the arrangement this time?"

"Two girls and a boy. We've already got the names picked out, too."

"Oh, what are they?"

"Bonnie and Diana for the girls and Jesse for the boy."

"How's Kim doing?"

"She's fine. Tired but fine. If you want to see her, you can do so in an hour. The Doctor has to finish up with the examinations before putting them in the makeshift nursery." He then chuckles, adding, "You should have seen Dr. Goldberry's face. It just lit up as the kids came out. First one to come out was Bonnie, then came Jesse and last came Veronica."

"Well, well, well, looks like we have a celebration going on here!" Melissa comes in, wearing her usual black shirt and fatigues. She then lets out a cackle, adding, "I just happen to have the right celebration materials right here, Ronnie!" Reaching into her pocket, she brings out several cigars.

"Um, Melissa, I'm not sure if you noticed or not, but I'm not a smoker."

"Oh, I noticed, Ron. That's why these are not cigars with tobacco. In fact, I guess you might say that these are the kind you'd want your kid to have, Sousuke."

Kaname, feeling her curiosity peak, asks, "What are they made with, Miss Mao?"

"Bubble gum! I also have some chocolate ones as well here. But I think I'll give you guys the chocolate ones. I got myself a stash when I heard the news about your pregnancy, Kaname. Been storing it ever since."

Grinning, she then sticks a blue-wrapped chocolate cigar into Sousuke's mouth, saying, "For the Father-to-be." She does the same with Ron, only giving him three. Two pink and one blue. "And three for the proud Papa. Congratulations, Ronnie."

Both men casually remove the 'cigars' from their mouths and say, "Thanks Melissa." Sousuke then scratches his head and asks, "Sgt. Major, do you think I'll make a good Father? After all, my history is not very favorable."

"Oh, I think you'll do just fine, Lieutenant 'Daddy'." That gets a blush out of Sousuke as Melissa goes on. "Yeah, sure, you may have gone through life as a warrior, but you're a stronger person because of it. Just think of this as another specialty to learn about. Besides, I had a good feeling that day, when you first got back to the safe house after your first day."

Meekly, Kaname raises her hand and asks, "Is this from before I knew about Sousuke's true purpose at the school?"

"Oh yes. Since we had to guard you, we had to tap your phone and monitor your calls. In case someone was planning something against you."

"I see. So, how'd he react?"

"He looked kinda happy, which was hard to tell for sure because of his face being so serious at times."

"Hey, hey! The proud Papa!" Kurz comes into the room and drapes a six-pack of beer over Ron's shoulder. "Want to down a few, Ronnie-boy?" The stench of alcohol is rampant on his breath.

"Sorry, Kurz. But I don't drink at all."

"You're as bad as Sousuke, man. You gotta loosen up and live." Suddenly, Kurz gets a hard slap across his face from Melissa. "Ow, what'd you do that for, sis?"

"Your behavior, Kurz. If Ron doesn't want to drink, he doesn't have to. Besides, you know, as Street Hawk, he has to be ready at a moment's notice. So do the rest of Team Hawk."

"But he's on stand-down, as are the others."

"Yeah, and they were as well before the most recent mission, Kurz. Or did you kill your memory as well?"

"Well, no. But I thought a celebratory beer would be in order. Besides, Ron'll be going legal age soon."

Ron then cuts in and says, "Thanks for the offer, Kurz, but I really have no desire to get shit-faced. Legal or otherwise."

"There, you see. Now quit pestering him to drink, Kurz. Of course, I am feeling very thirsty right now."

"Well, shall we go to my quarters or yours?" Suddenly, Kurz gets a kick right between his legs.

"Idiot. I'll just drink the beer right here." With that, she takes the six-pack from Kurz's hand and sits down, intent on enjoying the beer she had just liberated from Kurz.

An hour and a half later, Sousuke is back in his quarters with Kaname. He had just put a pair of headphones on her belly so she could play music for the baby. As Kaname plays the music, he sees a warm smile on her face.

"It seems he likes it, Sousuke. I still can't believe you have your own private stash of music. What's he listening to?"

"'The Ballad of the Green Berets', Kaname. In some ways, I share a kinship with them." That has Kaname laughing softly as she strokes her belly.

"I should have known, Sousuke. Only you could use Military music. But, like you said, you share a kinship with them. Except you're exactly like them in all aspects. You're able to fight and kill with your bare hands, you live off the land when you have to. But I love it and you, Sousuke." She then smiles warmly as she takes Sousuke's hand and puts it onto her belly. "That's you in there, Sousuke."

Sousuke returns the smile and kisses her belly, replying, "You're in there too, Kaname. Hopefully, he'll have your kind and gentle nature." Kaname blushes at that and leans forward to kiss him.

"You're getting to be very good with the flattery, Sousuke." Just as they're about to kiss, a knock comes up on the door. Groaning at the interruption, Kaname says, "Go ahead, Sousuke."

"Roger." Sousuke then goes to the door and opens it. When he sees who it is, he asks, "What's the problem, Ms. Rockwaller?"

"Sousuke, we need to get back to Middleton. Criminals are running rampant and the cops are outmatched and outnumbered. Team Hawk is needed."

"Understood. How many in your party?"

"Four. Myself, Hirotaka, Jessica and Norman. Kim and Ron still need to recover." They both chuckle at that, while Kaname giggles in the background.

"Understood. Please meet me in the hangar in forty minutes. Your transportation to the States will be ready by that time."

"Sure thing, Lieutenant. Bye, Kaname. See you guys later. I'm looking forward to seeing Sousuke Jr in your arms."

Kaname replies, "Roger that, Bonnie. See you guys later." Once Bonnie had cleared the doorway, Sousuke closes the door and starts making arrangements. "That's one of the things I can't stand about criminals. Their lousy as hell timing. It really cuts down on people's relaxation."

"True, Kaname. But, as an American Patriot once said, 'Eternal vigilance is the price of Liberty'. The same can be said for the Law Enforcement Community and it's 'arms'. Team Hawk is no exception from that whatsoever."

Kaname silently nods in agreement, chuckling mirthfully on the inside. 'Yeah, seeing that Mithril is kinda like a Police Force, it's understandable.'

Once Sousuke is done making the arrangements, he walks back over to Kaname and sits back down. "I've got about thirty minutes before I gotta head to the hangar. Where were we before Ron returned with the news about the children?"

Kaname smiles slyly at Sousuke and reaches for his belt buckle. "I think we were about here, Sousuke." She then undoes his belt buckle and opens his zipper. Seeing he's wearing nothing underneath, she grins salaciously as she strokes his member. "I see you've been getting ready for me, Sousuke."

"Hmm, affirmative." He then stands up and moves to Kaname's face. Without any further word, Kaname accepts the delivery. As her head moves back and forth, with Kaname still in her reclining position, Sousuke runs his fingers through her hair. Feeling a little daring, he reaches down to her skirt and runs his fingers along her panties.

"Oh, that feels so good, Sousuke." Sousuke looks down and sees Kaname smiling softly at him. "You taste wonderful." At that, Kaname returns to her soft and gentle ministrations as Sousuke continues running his fingers along her panties. Only this time he runs them along her crotch. He then feels a contented moan from Kaname and lets loose.

Once he's done, Kaname swallows and smiles, saying, "Now that was good, Sousuke." Suddenly, she's surprised when Sousuke leans forward and rubs his nose against hers. Now giggling, she softly kisses Sousuke on his scar and adds, "Thanks for the fun, sweetie."

"You're welcome, darling." That causes both of them to laugh as Sousuke closes his pants back up. He then gets back onto the bed with her and kisses her on her forehead. "Well, that's about five minutes down. Let's just cuddle for the rest of the time until I have to head there."

"Hmm, I love the sound of that. It sounds so romantic. Cuddling in an anti-terrorist base with the guy of my dreams. Life certainly doesn't get any better than this." That causes both of them to laugh softly as Kaname looks into Sousuke's eyes and Frenches him passionately.

As they kiss, Sousuke brings his hand up and softly caresses Kaname's left breast. When he feels her nipple, he softly rubs his fingertip against the nub now showing through her shirt. Kaname, not wanting to be outdone, runs her hand along Sousuke's pants, right at his groin. Every two minutes, they separate from the kiss to breathe, only to resume the passionate necking thirty seconds later. The kissing and stroking goes on for twenty more minutes until they stop and sigh.

Kaname looks into Sousuke's eyes and then down his body, smirking as she does so. "You might want to take a look at yourself, Sousuke." Sousuke looks and suddenly blushes. "You never do things halfway, do you?"

"Negative. If I hurry, I can change and be at the hangar in time for their departure." At that, Sousuke gets up and opens his closet, finding a clean set of fatigues. As he changes, Kaname gets a good look at his back and smiles inwardly.

'He's certainly got the internal strength to handle the pains. But I can hardly wait to see how he changes diapers.' Next thing she knows, he'd finished changing into the fresh set and she then checks her watch. 'Wow! Three minutes! Not bad, Sousuke!'

"Well, I'm off!" At that, Sousuke leaves his quarters and hears Kaname laughing softly.

'I'm not gonna touch that one, Sousuke. It'll be way too easy.' With that thought, Kaname closes her eyes and tries to catch some sleep, only the baby is wanting otherwise.

"Oh, right. It's later. Okay, baby. Upon our arrival here on the sub, your Father and I were with his Commanding Officer. Believe it or not, she had a massive crush on your Father. In any case, she guided me to the main hangar where I got a very big surprise. A reception to end all receptions. Saluting Arm Slaves and a massive crew salute, it was too much for me. I didn't feel I did anything special. But one of your Daddy's superiors said that what I had gone through with him would overwhelm even the most capable professional.

That's when I found out about another surprise. The Tuatha de Danaan was having it's first birthday. Your Aunt Tessa designed the sub. She even told me more about why your Father was with me. Primarily, he was there to protect me. But little did we realize the fun trip would soon take a very bad turn." With that, she elects to clean up the rest of the story slightly, not wanting to scare the baby. As she tells him the rest of the cleaned story, she slowly falls asleep, a content smile on her face.

Fifteen minutes later, Sousuke returns to his quarters with some snacks should Kaname happen to have cravings. The sight he sees makes him smile softly. Kaname, on his bed, with her hands on her belly and giving it a rub while asleep. Putting the snacks on a nearby table, he pulls up a chair and sits down, watching Kaname intently. Next thing he knows, he's yawning. Attributing it to combat fatigue, he slowly closes his eyes and smirks.

As he falls asleep, his last conscious thoughts are, 'I hope I can pull this parenthood thing off. Both being a Combat Specialist and a parent won't be easy. Not even for me. But I'm willing to do anything it takes. It won't matter if I have to kill anyone that threatens Kaname or our baby. If it comes down to it, any aggressors will die. As long as Kaname and our son's safe, that's the main thing.'

A half week later, Kim, Ron, Sousuke and Kaname are in Tokyo. Kim and Ron elected to bring their newborn children along to get them used to the fact their parents frequently travel the world. Or at least used to in their previous form. Also, they hope to instill the adventurous spirit into their children, even though they were only a week old. Both Sousuke and Kaname look over at the baby carriage and smile. Next thing they know, they hear a very chipper voice.

"Oh, Kaname! Good afternoon!" Both Kaname and Sousuke turn around and see Kyoko with Shinji. When their friends get closer, Kyoko asks, "How was your trip, Kaname?"

Grinning proudly, Kaname replies, "It was very interesting, Kyoko. Thinking of, these are a couple of our otaku friends. Kim and Ron Stoppable. These are their newborns. Bonnie, Diana and Jesse. Kim, Ron, this is my best friend, Kyoko Tokiwa and her boyfriend, Shinji Kazama."

Kim smiles and says, "Nice to meet you, Kyoko. You're exactly the way Kaname described you. Hello, Shinji. It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise, Kim. Aww, they're adorable! Are they newborns?"

Ron nods and replies, "That they are, Kyoko. That they are. So, Shinji, are you into the 'Zombie Mayhem' games?"

Shinji shakes his head and chuckles, replying, "Nah, I'm more into Arm Slaves and some Military affairs. But lately, I've been taking a keen interest in Team Hawk. Who they really are, how their vehicles work. Everything." He then leans over to look at the triplets and smiles. "Kyoko, I think you'd make a wonderful Mom. I know Kaname would. After all, she's done a good job taking care of Sousuke."

The words cause both Kaname and Kyoko to blush while Sousuke struggles to keep a straight face. Kaname sees Sousuke struggling and chuckles, thinking, 'He takes care of me too, Shinji. Just like I take care of him. Someone's gotta look out for that maniac, after all.'

Turning to Kyoko, she asks, "Can I talk to you in private, Kyoko?"

"Sure thing, Kaname." She then turns to Shinji and says, "I'll be right back, Shinji."

"Okay, Kyoko." Returning his attention to the triplets, he sees one of them stirring. "Which one of them is it?"

Kim looks, smiles and replies, "Diana. Wanna hold her?" At Shinji's nod, she giggles and lifts Diana out of the carriage. "Diana, this is Shinji." Handing Diana to Shinji, she steps back and leans into Ron's arms.

"Hi, little one. You're a cute one." At that, he begins babbling nonsense to the baby in his arms.

Meanwhile, Kaname and Kyoko are talking quietly. "Kaname?"

"Yeah, Kyoko?"

"You wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Oh yeah. Guess who's having a birthday tomorrow." At Kyoko's wide eyes, Kaname giggles and nods. "That's right. Our maniacal class otaku has a birthday tomorrow."

"Oh, wow! How did you find out?"

"Luke."

"Is he going to be there? I'd like to meet him, as I'm sure Shinji would as well."

"I doubt it. Somehow, I think he's going to be very busy catching up with his girlfriend."

"Okay. What's my end?"

"Get the class together. Even Ren and Atsunobu." At that, Kyoko nods and giggles. "Thanks, Kyoko. You're a real trouper and a great friend."

"Right back at you, Kaname. So, how's baby Sousuke doing?"

"He's doing fine. I think he's sleeping right now. Oof! Then again, maybe not." She then grins and says, "Give me your hand, Kyoko. Quick." Kyoko smiles and does so, only to be surprised when Kaname puts her friend's hand on her belly. Suddenly, she feels a kick against her hand.

"Wow, he's gonna be strong, Kaname." Kaname softly nods in agreement as Kyoko goes on. "I wonder which one of you he'll be most like. Sousuke or yourself. Which one do you think, Kaname?"

Kaname can only sigh as she replies, "I hope he'll be like me, but with a good portion of Sousuke in him. After all, don't want him going through life, being called a weakling. After all, his Father is anything but weak. Matter of fact, it probably won't be a bad thing if he was his Father's son. It'll give the bullies a chance to examine their lives. Particularly if he has them in a choke hold. So, I'm kinda in between."

That causes both Kaname and Kyoko to giggle as they walk back to the others. Once they get back to them, Kyoko walks over to Shinji and smiles at him holding the baby.

"Which one are you holding, Shinji?"

"Diana." He then hands Diana to Kim and says, "You have a lovely family, Kim and Ron."

"Yep. We certainly do, Shinji." Suddenly, Kim lets out a yawn. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm beat. How about you, Ron?"

"Same here, KP. See you guys tomorrow?" At their nods, he grins and says, "Boo-yah." With that, he and Kim turn toward their hotel and Ron adds, "Catch ya later, Sousuke and Kaname!"

"Later!" Both Sousuke and Kaname look at each other, realizing they had replied at the same time. Upon that realization, they begin laughing softly, with Kaname wrapping her arms around Sousuke.

"Sousuke, let no one tell you otherwise. You have great timing."

"Both in the field and bed, Kaname?" That has Kaname blushing rosily as her jaw drops. Meanwhile, Shinji and Kyoko blush heavily and calmly walk away from their friends. Just as Kaname recovers her jaw.

"Sousuke, next time, please warn me before you say something messed up like that!" She then smirks and adds, "Unless we're in private, at home in each other's arms."

"Roger." Just as they're about to kiss, they hear a familiar voice.

"Miss Chidori!" Kaname turns and sees a familiar face.

"Mr. Shibata, how nice to see you again. How's life treating you?"

The bald-headed Yakuza grins slightly as he replies, "It's been treating me okay."

"So, what's going on?"

"Lord Mikihara wishes to see you and extend his congratulations to you on your upcoming nuptials and impending birth of your child."

"But, how did he find out about it?"

"Miss Ren told him about it last month. When he first it, he was stunned in disbelief. Then, once it sank in, he expressed his desire to see you both." He then smirks and adds, "It took him until today to finally allow it to sink in. So, would you please accept the invitation, Miss Chidori?"

"I would, but only if Sousuke was to accompany me. He's the one I'm engaged to and the Father of the baby."

"But of course! The invitation was meant for both of you, after all. But, since Lord Mikihara didn't know about him, he was hoping that the invitation would be relayed."

"It has been relayed. What do you say, Sousuke?"

"I accept. How about you, Kaname?"

"I accept as well. When would he like to see us, Mr. Shibata?"

"If it's a good time for you, he wishes to meet with you right now." With that, both teens agree to the time.

After all, the Yakuza considers it to be bad manners to keep a Yakuza Boss waiting. Mr. Shibata waits until they tell Shinji and Kyoko they'd see them later. He then guides them to a waiting limousine and opens the door. To their surprise, they see Kanji Mikihara sitting with Ren in the seat.

Ren softly smiles upon seeing her friends and says, "Have a seat, please. Take a load off and relax." Once they'd done so, Lord Mikihara begins.

"I suppose a congratulations are in order for you both. Ren has told me about your news and the upcoming blessed event. I wish you both great happiness and good health."

"Thank you, Lord Mikihara. We wish you the best as well." Lord Mikihara smiles at Kaname's words and looks over at Sousuke. To his surprise, the young man merely nods his head in agreement.

"He doesn't say much, does he?"

"Oh, please forgive my Fiance, Lord Mikihara. You see, any time he starts speaking, he goes on an otaku ramble. But, most of the time, he's pretty much laconic."

"Oh? What kind of an otaku are you, young fellow?"

"Military, Lord Mikihara."

"Ah, so the Sphinx speaks. Short and to the point. How much do you know about Military life, young fellow? Oh, and what is your name?"

"Quite a bit, sir. It'll take me at least three years to tell you all I know. Sagara. Sousuke Sagara, Lord Mikihara."

Suddenly, Ren's phone rings. "Oh, excuse me, please, Father."

"Of course, daughter." With a soft smile, Ren opens the door and steps out. "Sweet kid. Just forgets to turn her phone off at times. But, you'll know about that when your bundle of joy arrives and becomes a teenager. So, young Sousuke, where do you hail from?"

"Everywhere and nowhere, Lord Mikihara. Essentially, I have gone to just about every country on the planet. Yet, I've never had a chance to find a place and settle down. However, now that I'm engaged, I guess you might say that Tokyo's my home now."

"Where did you spend your childhood? Surely you must have some memories of your childhood."

"I mostly spent it in Afghanistan, in the province of Helmajistan. For me, every day was a struggle for survival. Especially without my parents around. They died when I was eight, sir."

"Oh, you poor young fellow. Well, you seem to be level-headed and mature." That gets a choked laugh out of Kaname. "Miss Kaname, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm okay, Lord Mikihara. It's just that what you said about Sousuke. It's the total opposite of my first impressions of him."

"Oh? How opposite?" With that, Kaname begins telling the Yakuza Chieftain all about Sousuke and the things he had done when he first arrived. By the time she's done, both she and Sousuke are blushing furiously and Lord Mikihara is laughing his head off.

"Well, at least you won't be getting bored at all, Miss Kaname. There's never a dull moment with him around. He must really keep you on your toes."

"He does indeed, Lord Mikihara. After all, someone has to watch over my graceful maniac and his ever-graceful antics."

Lord Mikihara can only grin as he nods in agreement. Next thing they know, the limo's door opens and Ren steps back in. "Sorry it took me a while to get done, but the caller had some news for me."

"Oh, what kind of news, daughter?"

Ren giggles as she replies, "I'll tell you at dinner, Father." At that, Lord Mikihara realizes that it's something that cannot be discussed around Sousuke and Kaname.

"Very well, Ren. Kaname, Sousuke, I hope you both do well in your lives together. Sousuke, I hope to hear more about your life in the past. I must admit it sounds interesting, to say the least."

'Oh, you have no idea, Lord Mikihara. No idea at all.' At that, both Kaname and Sousuke bow, with Sousuke exiting the limo first and helping Kaname out of the car. Once the door is closed, the limo drives away.

Kaname then turns to Sousuke and says, "I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Wanna get something to eat, Sousuke?"

"Affirmative." Checking his watch, he nods and adds, "It's an ideal time for a casual lunch outside. Sun shining, no clouds. If it were to be mealtime during a lull in combat, it'd be perfect. It's not a problem."

"Only you, Sousuke. Only you." Kaname can't help but giggle as she pecks Sousuke's cheek. "So. Any ideas?"

"Affirmative. I saw a small bistro, just around the corner while you were talking with Kyoko. The positioning of the tables is questionable at best, but otherwise it's not a problem."

"Oh, really? Is that right? Just how questionable is it?"

"The positioning of the chairs won't allow me to watch for hostiles. Yet they'll allow me to gaze upon your lovely face. That's why it's a tie." That has both of them blushing rosily.

"Well, maybe we can move the chairs so you could do both, sweetie."

"I guess we could try that tactic, darling." As Kaname giggles again, he gently wraps her into his side and the couple head for the bistro.

When they get there, Kaname can see that the tables have camouflage cloths covering them, along with chairs upholstered the same. The sides of the building have corrugated steel running up and down the walls. But what gets her attention the most is the sign. 'The Grilled Otaku'. The sign itself has a man on a barbecue grill. Strangely enough, the man looks somewhat like Sousuke.

"I guess that explains it's appeal to you, Sousuke. Camouflage-clad tables and chairs, corrugated steel on the walls. I wonder if they have mortar rounds for the trash cans." Much to her surprise, they both find out that the trash cans are, indeed, spent mortar rounds. "Hmm, this place must be new, Sousuke. I've never seen it before."

"It could very well be, Kaname. In any case, the environment seems inviting."

"Of course it seems inviting, Sousuke. Mainly because of the stuff here."

"Affirmative."

With that, the couple head over and Sousuke pulls out a chair for her upon arrival. With Sousuke's help, she sits down and smiles as he pushes the chair in for her. Once he's seated himself, a server comes up, dressed in fatigues and wearing a Harley-Davidson bandanna.

They get a good look at him. Caucasian, short-cut brown hair, brown eyes with grey glasses. Yet with a warped grin. "What can I get you folks today? Welcome to 'The Grilled Otaku'."

"We'd like to see a menu, please."

"Very good, ma'am." The man goes inside the building and brings out two menus. "Here you go, folks. I'm Jordan, your server."

"Jordan, where do you come from and how long has this place been here?"

"Very good questions, sir. As to the first, I'm from Virginia in the States. As to the second, it's been here for the past week and a half."

"Understood. Let's see what we have here." His eyes look over the menu until they catch something. "Kaname, do you see what I see?"

"I do indeed, Sousuke. 'Field Litter Pizza. Brought to you on a tray resembling a field litter. Parmesan cheese, bacon, pepperoni and sausage'. Sounds interesting."

"It does indeed, Kaname. We'll take one please, Jordan."

"Roger that, sir." Jordan snaps off a crisp salute and goes in with the order paper. Some time later, he then comes back out and says, "It'll be ready in fifteen minutes, folks."

Kaname smiles and says, "Thank you, Jordan." Jordan smiles back and nods as he goes to another table to take another order. "Man, he must really have to bust his butt to get his job done. How long did it take him to come back out anyways?"

"According to my watch, he came back out after five minutes. Unless I miss my guess, I'd say he's the only one that works here."

"Oh, that's terrible. Having so much weight on your shoulders like that. I guess you felt that way at times in the past. All alone, in the field."

"Hmm, affirmative." Fifteen minutes later, Jordan comes back to their table, carrying the serving tray and smiling proudly.

"Here you go, folks. And, for the lovely Mother-to-be." He reaches into his apron and brings out a tiny cradle, putting it onto the table. "Eat in good health and high spirits, folks." With that, Jordan bows deeply and returns to his duties.

Now grinning, Kaname reaches over to the serving tray and brings up a slice of pizza as she muses. "This place opening up must be a real boon for you, Sousuke. It was quite a coincidence that it was here and you found it." Suddenly, she sees Sousuke smiling and blushing. "Sousuke?"

"It's not entirely coincidence, Kaname. Truth of the matter is, I own this place." Kaname's eyes bulge out and Sousuke nods in understanding. "I wanted to do something constructive for a change. So, I bought the space and Mithril men did the decorations, as per my orders. They then brought in a restaurant worker that had experience and also happens to be a Mithril asset. It's for in case I'm to go into the field again when you're here."

Kaname giggles at this and reaches over to take Sousuke's hand into hers. "No wonder this place appealed to you. I should have realized it when I saw the word 'Otaku' on the sign. Was it Ron's past experience with running a restaurant that inspired this?"

"Affirmative. I came up with some names for the food here and Jordan brought them to life." Both teens have a good chuckle, knowing just how much of a disaster Sousuke was in the kitchen. "I tell you, though, it's much easier to destroy than to create. But, sometimes, creation can actually be very good and worthwhile. It's not a problem."

Kaname blushes at the double meaning behind Sousuke's words and strokes her belly. "So that's why he had that cradle in his apron. He knew about me, didn't he?"

"Affirmative. Jordan's been with Mithril for three years now. He worked in the Atlantic Branch in Virginia and transferred to here. He had always wanted to go somewhere that was rich in culture. This was his opportunity and he took it. From all appearances, it looks like he's handling it rather well."

Kaname can't help but chuckle as she says, "That was rather beautiful, Sousuke. Of course, for a Military nut, that's quite a compliment." She then strokes his fingers lovingly and adds, "I wouldn't have you any other way, Sousuke. You've faced so much more than I have and yet, you don't let it get you down. I'm glad you're with me."

"I, too, am glad, Kaname. These past few months have been great. I just don't want anything to go wrong, now that we're nearing the home stretch. Just three more months to go and we can see our son." Kaname nods in agreement as Sousuke reaches over to stroke her belly.

"So, how'd she take it, Lieutenant?" The couple turn and see Jordan, wearing a nervous and wry grin.

"I took it rather well, Jordan. It's beautiful, the way you guys decorated the place. Did Sousuke have much to do with it?"

"Oh yes, ma'am. He certainly did. Matter of fact, it had been in the works since last month. But the Lieutenant couldn't ruin the surprise. So, he waited until you were both out of Tokyo. Once you were on the island, we attacked this place. It never knew what hit it." That causes them all to laugh softly as Jordan puts his hands up. "I know, bad and weird pun. But, that's the way the 'Otaku is Grilled' at 'The Grilled Otaku'!"

That causes them to laugh some more as Jordan goes back inside. Kaname calms down her laughter in time to ask, "Is it normal for Mithril warriors to have a sense of humor?"

"Well, if you'll recall, Kaname, we Mithril warriors don't have much time for anything. Much less indulging in a sense of humor. But, Jordan is one-of-a-kind. He can even make a tense situation light as a feather with only a quick joke or two."

"Hmm, I wonder what'll happen if he was to meet with Miss Kagurazaka." That causes both of them to look up and smile semi-wickedly. "They are close to each other in age and he seems to be somewhat mature."

"I agree. Besides, Miss Kagurazaka hasn't laughed very much since I arrived. Jordan just might be the thing that she needs most of all. A nice guy, that happens to be a Mithril, able to make anyone laugh and mature. Let's see if we can get them together on a blind date."

"Oh, Sousuke. You're so devious. But, how?"

Sousuke ponders for about two minutes and suddenly grins. "We each tell Jordan and Miss Kagurazaka that there's someone that would like to meet them on a blind date. Invite them both to an event that would be noteworthy. But what, though?"

Kaname suddenly has an idea and gets up. "I need to go to the restroom, Sousuke. I'll be back shortly." She then pecks Sousuke on his lips and goes inside. "Jordan, where are your restrooms?"

"To the right, at the back of the hall, Miss Chidori. How's the pizza?"

"Good, very good. Um, you ever been to a birthday party, Jordan?"

"But of course. Usually, it was my own or my friends' parties. But, yes ma'am. What's going on?"

"Lt. Sagara is having a birthday tomorrow and I'd like to invite you. Plus, I think it'll do you some good to meet someone on a blind date."

"Well, okay. I guess it couldn't hurt. Who am I meeting?"

"Her name's Eri Kagurazaka. She's our teacher at Jindai High School. But, don't tell her about yourself being with Mithril. At least for right now. Just get to know her."

"Okay, thanks."

"You're welcome. Now, for the restroom." At that, Kaname bolts into the restroom, giggling along the way. Bringing out her phone, she dials a number.

"Miss Kagurazaka? It's Kaname. They're both doing fine. Yes, only three more months to go. Are you sitting down right now? Okay, let me know when you are. All right, here goes. Sousuke's having a birthday party tomorrow and you're invited. Also, Sousuke and I thought we'd set you up on a blind date. I'm afraid the only place I can think of will have to be at our place, at the party. You're interested? In the fact that Sousuke has a birthday coming up tomorrow or the blind date? Both. Okay, then. See you tomorrow, Miss Kagurazaka."

She then ends the call and smiles as she flushes the toilet. "There. Three items of business taken care of. Well, here goes, baby. Time to meet up with your Father and go home. After all, we have a party to take care of." With that, Kaname walks back outside after thanking Jordan for the meal and rejoins Sousuke. "I'm ready to go home, honey."

"Same here, darling. Same here." With that, Sousuke gets up from the table, having already paid Jordan for the meal. "I got a carry-out so we can finish our food at home, Kaname."

"Hmm, good. I loved the taste of it. When we get home, let's put some chocolate syrup on there so I can eat it."

"Roger." Kaname can't help but giggle at Sousuke's antics as they walk away from 'The Grilled Otaku'. Along the way, they come across an arcade that's very familiar. "Maybe they've forgotten by now, Kaname."

Kaname shakes her head and says, "Doubtful, Sousuke. Look." On the doorway is a picture of Sousuke and Kaname, with a circle and slash around them.

_'This lunatic and woman are barred from the premises. If you see them, run in fear for your lives. The lunatic is considered to be armed and dangerously insane.'_

"That was rather harsh."

"Ah, don't worry about it, Sousuke. They don't know the real you."

Sousuke smiles at this and nods. "I guess there'll be other arcades." Kaname nods in agreement, not having seen people inside scream and run around in a panic. As the couple walks, they come across another familiar sight. The three tough guys that were hassling Kaname and Ena Saeki at school that night.

All three leer at Kaname and see that she's expecting. Feeling macho, one of them, a red-haired punk says, "Hey, Sagara. We see that you now have something that you care about deeply. So, we're gonna threaten it. Unless, you let us beat you up."

Feeling his blood begin to boil, Sousuke asks, "Kaname, would you be so kind as to wait here for me?"

"Of course, Sousuke. It's not a problem. Just don't kill them."

"Roger. I'll just convince them it's not a good idea to mess with either of us." At that, he follows the three tough guys into a very familiar alley and draws a gun. "You guys have made a grave mistake."

The red-haired punk retorts, "How so, Sagara? Once we're done with you, we're going to have a good time with your woman." At that, they all turn around and see that he's armed.

"Negative." Next thing they know, he brings up the barrel. "You will not touch my Fiancee."

Outside the alley, Kaname hears three short bursts and cackles out loud, saying, "No one messes with a Sagara and gets away with it. Let alone a future Sagara. That must be a new gun that Sousuke has. I've never heard that kind of gunfire before."

Back in the alley, Sousuke looks at the cringing toughs and shakes his head in pity. "In the same alley you tried to hassle me in last time we met. How sad. You guys need to get a hobby and get out of this lifestyle. It would be in your best interest to do so. What just happened was a mere warning. Spread the word that next time my Fiancee is threatened, my targeting will stay locked onto the original target." At that, he puts the gun back into his pants and walks out of the alley.

All three tough guys look down and see three large puddles at their feet. Slowly moving away from the wall, they turn and take a look at the holes. They could all see three holes grouped together at each spot they were at and faint at the sight.

Back out of the alley, Kaname smiles when she sees Sousuke reemerge unscathed. "How'd they take it, Sousuke?"

"Not very well, Kaname. It seems they have weak bladder control. Especially with the threat of bullets shredding their privates."

Kaname laughs raucously and softly as she kisses Sousuke. "I wish I could have seen that. Oh, what kind of gun was that anyway? I've never heard it before. I know I've heard the SPP and the Glock, along with the Desert Eagle and other guns. But I've never heard anything so poetic."

"Beretta 93R, Kaname. Capable of firing three-round bursts. So far, a very formidable weapon."

Kaname coyly smiles and adds, "Just like a certain Military maniac I happen to be in love with and having a child with." She then sighs and says, "I've never even seen a 93R in the magazines at the Base. I was hoping to match your knowledge somewhat. Look how well that turned out."

"Don't let it get you down, Kaname. Remember, at one time, I didn't know a thing about firearms. And that was before my parents died. But, as time went on, I became knowledgeable about the topic. And then, the greatest thing happened. I met you, the love of my life."

Kaname can't help but blush rosily as they resume their walk. Very soon, they come across a place that's painfully familiar to Kaname.

"Sousuke, can we stop in here please? Something I need to do."

"Affirmative. It's not a problem." At that, Sousuke links arms with Kaname and walks in with her, giving her support. Very soon, they reach their destination. Helping her kneel, Sousuke softly whispers, "Take as long as you need. I'll be right here, honey."

Kaname smiles and replies, "Roger, thanks sweetie." She then returns her attention to the headstone and says, "Hi Mom. Sorry I haven't been by in a while. Just thought I'd bring you up to speed. I'm six months pregnant and the Father's with me. Now, he may not exactly be what you'd have in mind for a suitor for me, but he's got a good heart. He's a Soldier, a Specialist. He's helped me get through some pretty crazy times. There were even a few times I helped him. But, he's always come through for me. No matter what.

I'm engaged to him now. We fell in love with each other with the aid of gunfire and explosions. When he first arrived, I saw him as weird, but really interesting. I guess I started crushing on him when I first saw him and heard his words. I was just hiding it all that time with my fury over his graceful and also ungraceful antics. I'd like to introduce him to you now. Sousuke Sagara, Lieutenant of Mithril."

Sousuke kneels down beside Kaname, bows deeply and says, "It's an honor to speak with you, Mrs. Chidori. You have raised a fine and lovely daughter. It's only too bad I can't begin to describe how I'd feel if we had been able to meet in person. I was orphaned at an early age and became a warrior in order to survive. I then became a protector and was assigned to your daughter.

At first, it was only supposed to be duty and obligation, but then we fell in love with each other. Ordinarily, Mithril frowns down on a protector falling for his or her charge, but my Superior Officers felt this would be a good thing for me. I will keep protecting Kaname, but, I will love her immensely even more. Both her and your grandson. You have my word on that, Mrs. Chidori."

With that, he reaches into his sleeve and brings out his dagger. "If it'll be sufficient, I'll swear a blood oath on it."

Kaname giggles softly as she remarks, "Somehow, I don't think she feels it's necessary for you to do so, Sousuke. Your words are good enough for me. Just like they were for my Father. Ooooh, help me up. Please."

"Roger." Sousuke then puts the dagger back up his sleeve, rises and gently hoists Kaname up. Once she's on her feet, he wraps his arms as gently as possible around her midsection. "We'll speak to you again, Mrs. Chidori. Only we'll have our son with us when we do so."

Kaname nods in agreement as she nuzzles her head against Sousuke's neck. "He's going to be a chip-off-the-old-block."

"Old, Kaname? I may be about to become a Father, but I'm certainly not old. At least far as I know."

"Sousuke, it's just an expression." Suddenly, she's surprised to find his lips at her ear.

"I know." Next thing she knows, he's laughing heartily as he kisses her softly.

"I can't believe it. I walked right into that one, Sousuke." Right afterward, she can't help but join him in the laughter. "You're a mess, you know that?"

"Hmm, affirmative." At that, they both walk away from the headstone with Shizu Chidori's name on it and head home. As soon as they reach the apartment, they go inside and turn in for the rest of the day.

The next morning, Kaname wakes up to find Sousuke gone with a note on the wall.

"_Went fishing. Be back soon. It's not a problem."_

Kaname smiles at this and nods her head. "Perfect timing, Sousuke. Now I can get ready for your birthday party." She then picks up the phone and dials a number. "This is Miss Chidori. The rat's out of the hole. But we better make it quick. That rodent could return at any time."

"_Roger that, Miss Chidori."_ Five minutes later, the first arrival happens.

"Your cake, Miss Chidori. As per your specifications."

"Perfect. Just let me get some plates out and then I can admire it."

"Roger." At that, the Mithril Baker carries the cake-box over to the table and opens it. "I think you'll like the end results, ma'am." Kaname looks and smiles in approval. "I take it it meets your expectations."

"More like exceeds. You've really outdone yourselves. You and your staff."

"Thank you, ma'am. We bakers don't like to do anything halfway done. Just like I'm sure the Lieutenant doesn't."

"Oh, he sure doesn't." Kaname can't help but laugh softly as she goes to a closet and brings out three wrapped items. "No matter how hard he tries, he can't help but go a little overboard with his duties. But at least he's trying. Even more, I love him just because he's trying. It shows that he's making a tremendous effort. I just hope he doesn't go crazy when he sees what's going on here."

Meanwhile, Sousuke is at a lake with his fishing rod, along with a pair of headphones tuned in to a frequency for the mikes in the apartment. The original purpose of the mikes was to still watch over Kaname in case there was trouble or a problem with the pregnancy. He had set them up the night after their first day back at school. To his surprise, what he hears seems to be a plot of some kind.

He then realizes that Kaname's speaking with the Mithril Baker about his birthday party. When he hears about her hopes, he vows to not disappoint her. But, at the same time, he'd enter with a bang. If he was so inclined, he'd be growing devil's horns out of his head as he figures his plan. As he figures it, he keeps the headphones turned on, just in case of a dangerous situation suddenly popping up.

Back in the apartment, Kaname is finishing up with the arrangements when she hears a knock at the door. Checking the peephole, she sees two familiar faces, both with smiles. She then opens the door and blinks. "Yoshiki? Mari? What are you two doing here today?"

Mari Akutsu smiles softly as she replies, "Just came to ask you and Sagara about an incident yesterday involving the same three guys that Sagara roughed up in the past."

"Well, Sousuke's not here right now. He's out fishing. But, quite frankly, those goons had it coming." She then scowls and adds, "They threatened myself and our baby. If you were pregnant, would you take that?"

"Probably not, but, then again, I've never been pregnant. Just how far along are you?"

"Six months. Look, today's busy. Can you please come back tomorrow? It's Sousuke's birthday today. I don't want anything ruining it. I want him to have a treasured memory. His first birthday party in ten years."

Stunned, Yoshiki asks, "He hasn't had a birthday in the past ten years? How'd that happen?"

"When you're out in the field, you don't have time to celebrate the day of your birth. Sousuke's been a field man for most of his life. That's why I can't afford for his day to be ruined."

Mari ponders this before bowing and stating, "I will honor your request, Miss Chidori. However, we will discuss the matter at hand next month. Be it here or the warehouse in Sengawa. I believe you know the one." Kaname and Yoshiki both laugh softly at the memory. "This time, I'll be watching all around me. Even the ceiling."

"Okay. But, this time, leave me out of it. If you want to talk to him, you're on your own."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Miss Chidori." Turning her head, she sees Yoshiki looking at the cake and laughs. "He likes the sight of the cake. Interesting form. Where'd you get that made?"

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." Kaname's tone is light enough for it to be a joke, but her face is dead serious.

"Okay, that's different. I guess being pregnant is bringing out your savage and protective nature."

"I guess you could say that." Kaname can't help but blush as she gently strokes her belly with her left hand. Mari catches sight of her ring and smiles at it.

"That's a lovely ring. It's not very often you see a Cherry Blossom and a grenade as settings on an engagement ring."

"It was Sousuke's idea. He had it custom-made for me. Some old guy, claiming to be a jeweler, tried to buy it off of me. When I refused, he tried grabbing for it. Sousuke showed him his Glock and warned him against trying it again. That was as subtle as Sousuke could be. His 'Foster Father' called it the 'Sagara Subtlety'. Quite frankly, I agree with the name for it. His weapons placement is subtle, as I'm sure you recall."

Mari nods mutely, recalling very well the pale faces of her gang members when they had seen his weaponry. Among the weaponry was a rocket launcher. To this day, she still hadn't figured out where he had fit it all at. All she could figure was that he was armed to the teeth and definitely ready to kick ass and take names. Of course, he had known about her gang's members, so he'd probably have settled for kicking their asses.

She then looks at Kaname's belly and her smile returns softly. "So it's true. You and Sagara got together and got busy. Impending Motherhood suits you, Miss Chidori."

"Yeah. I'll tell you one thing, though. This little guy's going to have something that Sousuke was so cruelly denied. A happy childhood, with both of his parents. No matter what."

"Oh? You know it's a boy already? What're you calling him?"

"Sagara. Sousuke Sagara Jr." Mari can't help but giggle at that and then nods in approval.

"That answered my last question, but how did you know it'd be a boy already?"

"I refer you to my earlier statement. I can tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." Suddenly, there's a knock at the door. "Hold that thought, Mari." Gingerly getting up, Kaname walks over to the door and looks through the peephole. She then smiles when she sees their classmates and Miss Kagurazaka. Opening the door, she smiles and bows.

"Come on in. I'm just about finished setting up. The cake's already here. All we gotta do now is wait for the Birthday-having War Nut to arrive." Next thing she knows, there's another arrival. "Kim, Ron, hi. Come on in." Kim and Ron both nod and follow the others inside.

"Nice place you got here, Kaname. Bon-diggity." Kaname and Kim both blush at Ron's compliment.

"Thanks, Ron. Sousuke did most of the decorating. Of course, that's why it's so sparse in here. But, I have the feeling it'll change. So, where are the kids at?"

"Day Care facility three blocks down. Ron felt it wouldn't be a good idea to bring them here today and I felt he was right. Quite frankly, we're pushing it with the number of people in here, Kaname."

"I know. But, you know how word spreads quickly around here. Especially quicker since it's a Military Otaku that's having a birthday. Now that's an event that you wouldn't or shouldn't want to miss." In the background, they all hear explosions approaching rapidly. "Sounds like he's on the way here right now. Take cover!"

At that, they all take cover around various places of the apartment. Next thing they know, a door calmly opens and Sousuke walks in, carrying a flash-bang. The explosions earlier were from speakers connected to a cassette of sound effects running along the street. Truth of the matter was, he had been at the building for the past five minutes, keeping an eye on the arrivals.

He nearly greeted Kim and Ron upon arrival, but kept silent. Silently, he snickers as he pulls the pin on the flash-bang and closes his eyes as he tosses it to the middle of the room. "Surprise!"

As the grenade detonates, Kaname, Kim and Ron close their eyes quickly and grin, knowing the others don't have a chance. Once the effect is gone, all three come out and see the others in a daze.

"Sousuke, let no one tell you otherwise. You certainly know how to take control of a room." Kaname then kisses Sousuke and adds, "Happy Birthday, sweetie."

"Thanks, honey. This day has certainly been memorable, that's for sure." Both Kim and Ron nod in agreement with Sousuke as the others come out of the daze. Kyoko and Shinji are the first, along with Miss Kagurazaka.

Shinji, his eyes still blurry, is able to manage a weak smile as he says, "Happy Birthday, Sousuke."

"Thank you, Shinji." Next thing they know, there's another knock at the door. "Hold that thought, please." He then goes to the door and sees Jordan. "Jordan, how unexpected of you to come."

"It's not exactly unexpected, sir. Miss Chidori invited me to the party for the blind date and figured it'll be safe for me to meet my date here."

'Kaname, you're getting to be very cunning.' Sousuke then nods and says, "Come on in, then. I take it Kaname told you some ground rules for dealing with her."

"Yes, sir." No further words need to be exchanged between the two Mithril warriors. At that, Sousuke guides Jordan to the others and see then coming out of the daze, with Miss Kagurazaka watching over them.

"Mr. Sagara, was that really necessary?"

"I believe Kaname gave you a warning about trying to surprise me, Miss Kagurazaka. It's not a good idea. In any case, I'd like you to meet someone. This is Jordan. Jordan, this is Miss Kagurazaka." Jordan takes in her appearance and smiles softly, just as Miss Kagurazaka does the same.

"Eri."

"Jordan McAllen, Eri."

"McAllen?" She couldn't help but feel that the name was very familiar to her.

"Now's not the time for such discussion, Eri. For now, let's get to know each other." Suddenly, Jordan starts sweating as Miss Kagurazaka gently runs her hand along his cheek, soft understanding in her eyes as she nods.

In the background, the others, Ron and Kim especially, are stunned at what is transpiring. "So, Jordan, what do you do?"

"I work at 'The Grilled Otaku', Eri. I came from Virginia in the States."

"Oh, I spent some time over there. Very lovely mountains you have over there."

"Oh, yes. I lived in the Blue Ridge area for a time before I moved over here."

"Well, at least you won't have a dull day. Especially with Sousuke Sagara around."

The rest of the day goes by at a hectic pace. Right now, the couple is alone, doing inventory on the gift tally. The others had left twenty minutes prior, with Miss Kagurazaka and Jordan smiling softly at the couple.

For his birthday, Sousuke got three holsters for various guns from Kaname, a digital camera from Kyoko, an Arm Slave model kit from Shinji, some new fashions from Mizuki, a martial arts headband from Issei, a book titled, ironically enough, 'War and Peace' from Atsunobu, some more fashions from the other girls, an empty photo album from Kim and Ron, a dual sword set from Ren and Lord Mikihara, and, from Miss Kagurazaka, a ceremonial tea set. Specifically for weddings.

Kaname smiles at the thoughtful gift until she realizes one crucial detail. "We haven't even discussed what kind of wedding we'd be having. I'd like it to be as simple as the tea drinking, but yet, I want it to be memorable."

"How about this idea, Kaname? We blend the American style and the traditional Japanese style together. Only, with an otaku twist."

"You've got my interest peaked, Sousuke. What do you have in mind?"

"Well, we take your Mom's kimono, put you in it, dress you up like you were that day. I'd be in a tuxedo, waiting for you. We put the rings on each other's fingers and drink some tea. Sound good so far?"

"So far, so good. So what's the otaku twist?" For that, Sousuke whispers into her ear. "Oh, that'd be a twist all right."

The teens then embrace each other softly and peck each other on the lips as they turn in for the night. The next day, they accompany Kim, Ron and their triplets to the airport. Kim had regained her figure after half a week of working out and massages to her midsection by Ron's skilled hands.

Kim smiles softly at Kaname as she says, "You've only got three more months to go, Kaname. We hope to see you cradling Sousuke Jr in your arms next time we see you."

"Oh, you better believe it, Kim. Ron, take good care of her and your new babies."

"I will, Kaname. Take care, Sousuke. If you need help with anything, just give us a holler."

"I will, Ron. Count on it, my brother-in-arms." Ron nods at this as the two males slam fists while the two femmes can only smirk at the sight. Next thing they know, their flight is called. "The Mithril charter will fly you right back to Middleton. Your vehicle will be waiting for you upon arrival."

Kim nods at this and gives Sousuke a warm hug while Ron does the same with Kaname. "Take good care of him, Kim. Not a whole lot of guys like him out there."

"I know. And I will." She then turns to Ron and says, "Let's jet, Ron." Ron nods in agreement as he pushes the stroller down the gangway toward the waiting plane.

Sousuke and Kaname both watch their friends as they walk toward their flight and smile happily. "Do you think we'll be that happy, Sousuke?"

"Affirmative. Of course, it'll take a lot of work, especially on my part. After all, like you're quite fond of saying, 'I'm unpredictable'." That has Kaname laughing softly as he runs his fingers through her blue hair.

"Hmm, I also said you're an odd bird, Sousuke. Extremely odd. But, I won't have you any other way, Sousuke. Not even to be normal."

"Kaname, as far as I'm concerned, you are normal."

"Aww, you're so sweet." Kaname can't help but give Sousuke a massive lip-lock, right in the airport lobby. When they separate from the lip-lock, Kaname then softly says, "Let's go home, honey."

"Roger, sweetheart." At that, they both laugh as they exit the airport and take the train home. For once, the ride home is uneventful. However, the next few days are exciting for them. Tessa's return to school, along with Sousuke's usual otaku binges and Kaname's Lamaze classes. Then, one night, on the news, they watch a news story regarding Team Hawk and it's latest rescue.

"Looks like Ron and the others have been very busy, Sousuke."

"Yeah, they certainly have. Looks like they're trying to catch up rapidly to tame the crime rates. And succeeding very well."

"Do you think it's that woman, Sousuke?"

"I can't deny the possibility, Kaname. Only time will tell."

"Hmm. The sooner she's stopped, the better."

"Affirmative."

Author's Notes: Another long chapter here! 40+ pages again. Just thought I'd give Kim and Kaname something to do while they wait for their guys to return home, along with a birthday for Sousuke. As for the song Kaname had sung as a prenatal lullaby, it was 'A Future to This Life' by Joe Walsh and Lita Ford. I got what lyrics I could, so hopefully it'll pass muster. I don't own the song, but I do have the CD it's on. So cool. The birth of Kim and Ron's newest triplets was certainly unexpected, but quite welcome nonetheless. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to the next few. Something tells me you don't want to miss a thing. Seriously, you don't!


	5. Hammered! Month 7

Seven Months p 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Sledge Hammer! or Full Metal Panic! Wish I did though.

Hammered: Month 7

One morning, Kaname softly opens her eyes and smiles as she takes in the sight before her. Sousuke, dangling upside down, blind-folded and field-stripping a Steyr AUG assault rifle. She had finally gotten used to his often 'eccentric' behavior patterns.

The two had slept soundly the previous night, given that no missions had popped up since Sousuke and Team Hawk rescued the Tracy couples three weeks back. She was delighted when Sousuke gently caressed her belly from behind before she faced him. That led to an intense make-out session in their bed, with Sousuke occasionally stroking her breasts.

As she watches him with the rifle, she can't help but sigh her boredom. She wanted some hot, passionate action, but yet, she didn't want to chance hurting the baby. Needless to say, she was proud that Sousuke had found a way to beat the boredom. Even if it is Military-related. He even painted the apartment's nursery area in his own unique way.

Suddenly, she feels his eyes on her and smiles. "Good morning, Sousuke."

"Good morning, Kaname. Sleep well?"

"Oh, yeah. Considering this little rascal's been kicking me every thirty minutes."

"You're the one that's been eating all that spicy food."

"You eat it too, Sousuke." They both then intensely blush at the double meaning. Still smiling, Kaname gets up from their bed and walks over to Sousuke's dangling form. "Thinking of eating, Sousuke." She starts stroking her Fiance's toned body, with her eyes set on a goal in mind.

"Kaname?" Next thing he knows, she's caressing his boxers, right at his groin.

"I'd like to try something, Sousuke. Far as I could tell, this will be the best opportunity for me." Without any further warning, she runs his boxers upward and smiles when she sees her prize.

"I think the pregnancy has made you into a nympho, Kaname."

"It could very well have, Sousuke. Hang around, this will be interesting." She then giggles softly as she wraps her lips around his member and moves her head forward and back. Suddenly, she feels a slight bit of pain in her neck and stops. "Well, that idea was a bust. That was very uncomfortable for my neck."

"Well, if it's any consolation, I have a nice view of your panties, Kaname. Very nice and white." Suddenly, he sees his blushing Fiancee kneeling in front of him, wearing a soft and maternal smile.

"Come on, Sousuke. We gotta shower and get to school."

"Roger." She then giggles as she watches her beau get himself off of the vertical rack and pull his boxers up.

'Oh well. He'll be taking them off in the shower anyways.' She then looks down at her belly and adds, "I better not feel a peep out of you, little boy. I'm bored, even more than your Daddy is. The only things that'll give me any kind of excitement these days are slurping your Daddy, watching him blow shit up and shooting guns with him."

With that, Kaname walks into the apartment's bathroom and softly snickers as she undresses. 'He won't know what hit him.' Next thing she knows, she feels Sousuke's hands on her breasts, kneading them softly. Along with his hardness. "Hmm, that feels so good, Sousuke."

"Which one, Kaname?"

"Both." She turns around, gets onto her knees and pulls down Sousuke's boxers. They both suddenly forget about cleaning up for school in favor of sex, just as Sousuke's watch alarm goes off.

"Oh no! Not good!" They both then smile softly, realizing they had said it at the same time.

"We're really in sync, aren't we, Sousuke?"

"Hmm, affirmative. We do make a pretty good combo." Suddenly, Kaname giggles as she rises up from the floor and kisses him passionately, stroking his hardness as she does so. "Yep, I've definitely got a nympho on my hands."

"What can I say? I've got a handsome stud I'm planning to marry and having a child with. Said stud being a Specialist is a definite turn-on for me." She then stops and sighs, saying, "We better hurry, Sousuke. We have a test in Classic Japanese History today. I hope you've been, if you'll pardon the expression, boning up."

Blushing heavily, Sousuke can't help but reply, "I'm afraid the only boning up I've been doing is on you, Kaname." Both teens exchange a quick chuckle as Kaname kisses him passionately again as she opens the door and steps out.

"Better take a cold shower, Sousuke. You'll overheat like that at this rate, Soldier."

"Roger."

With that, Sousuke adjusts the temperature and takes a literal cold shower. Once he's done, he steps out and dries off, seeing Kaname had brought in his uniform for him. After getting dressed, Sousuke steps out of the bathroom and sees Kaname, in her Maternity uniform for school, looking at the first picture she had ever seen of Sousuke.

"Was it difficult for you? Losing your fellow soldiers like that, Sousuke?"

"Affirmative, Kaname. It was while I was in Helmajistan the first time around. I was the sole survivor of my unit, other than Zaied."

"Did you really think he was dead, Sousuke?"

"I had my doubts that he had survived, so I guess I did think of him being dead. Then, the Helmajistan op came up. Once again, I lost my comrades, only this time I put a past memory to rest. Zaied was the closest I had to a brother, other than Luke. It was difficult for me to kill him, but quite necessary."

"I don't doubt that, Sousuke. After all, he was trying to kill you. Just, how did he die? Did he suffer much?"

"An Anti-Armor Dagger from Arbalest went right into his cockpit, skewering him. But, he didn't die until after I thought I had killed Gauron inside Codarl. Like I said some time back, Kaname. The man was harder to kill than a ninja cockroach."

"Not anymore. You blew his ass up and gave his head to Kalinin as a trophy."

"That's affirmative." He then adds, "I'm sure Zaied was in pain before he died, Kaname. He wanted to hold on until he could kill me. But, he died pulling the trigger and his Arm Slave leaned backwards as his AK-87 fired. It was the one critical factor that allowed me to live."

Kaname taps her right index finger on her chin as she asks, "Is it one of those Anti-AS cannons, Sousuke? I think I read something about one of those, but I'm not quite sure. I think it's listed as one of the most reliable Anti-AS cannons on the planet." Suddenly, she's startled to see his smile and realizes what he's smiling about. "I'm learning, aren't I?"

"Affirmative. I'm quite impressed with what you had retained, Kaname. Just a little more practice and you'll be tutoring me."

"Sousuke, you're making me blush, you goofball. If anyone would make an excellent tutor on weaponry, it'd be you, hands down. For that matter, I don't think there's anyone else on this planet as deeply devoted to weapons and tactics like you are. Come on, let's get to school."

"Roger." Little do the two teens realize just how wrong Kaname would be.

At Narita Airport, a flight from the United States is arriving at the terminal. Two of it's passengers have blond hair and are armed. One is a Caucasian male wearing a grey suit and red tie while the other is a Caucasian woman wearing a brown pantsuit and her hair is in a bun.

"Hammer, are you sure you're up to this?"

"Of course, Doreau. Trust me, I know what I'm doing."

"Well, just remember, we're only here on extradite, not start World War Three."

Exasperated, Hammer asks, "Would I really do that, Dori?" Seeing her eyebrow raise slightly, he shrugs and replies, "Probably."

"More like definitely, Sledge. Look, let's just get what we came for and get back home before Captain Trunk decides to send Mayjoy after us."

"Right. Let's get that scum-sucker." He then reaches into his jacket, brings out a stainless revolver with ivory hand-grips, monogrammed with a sledgehammer, and says, "Here we are, Gun. Japan. The Land of Politeness, also the Land of the Rising Sun. So mind your manners or you'll miss out on one heck of a sunset."

"Hammer, who are you talking to?"

"Oh, no one, Doreau." Putting the revolver back into his jacket, Inspector Sledge Hammer and Detective Dori Doreau go through Customs. Once they're processed, they exit the Airport and hail a taxi.

In perfect Japanese, Dori says, "Sengawa Police Station, please."

"Hai." At that, the cabbie drives to their destination. Fifteen minutes later, they arrive at their destination. "That'll be 10,000 yen."

"Hai. Here you go and thank you." With that, Dori hands the driver the money and Sledge opens the door, pausing to help Dori out of the cab. Switching back to English, Dori says, "Why, thank you, Hammer."

"Aw, enough niceness, Doreau. Let's just get the sea urchin and get him back to the States." At that, Sledge goes into the building, a smiling Dori right behind. However, the smile shortly fades when she hears the following words.

"Inspector Sledge Hammer and Detective Dori Doreau, Bay City Police Department. We're here to extradite a brain-dead mutant scum-sucker with skunk breath."

Officer Wakana happens to be in the station at the time and turns at the words. It seems she was taking English lessons to improve her ability to communicate with the country's visitors. "Did you just say a brain-dead mutant scum-sucker with skunk breath?"

"That I did. Look, all I wanna do is get that sea urchin and get him back into Prison."

"Who're you here for?"

Dori switches back over to Japanese and softly replies, "Please forgive my associate. He means we're here for the Elvis impersonator that killed the winners of the past competitions. He escaped from Prison and somehow made his way here. We got word that he was arrested on a traffic violation. Our Captain sent us to pick him up."

"I see! Just a moment! I'll get my Superior Officer for you!" At that, Wakana laughs as she walks away, the sound of which sends chills up Doreau's spine. But Sledge, on the other hand, finds the laughter soothing.

In two minutes, the Officer in charge comes up, bows and, in English, says, "Ah, Inspector Hammer and Detective Doreau, welcome to Tokyo Japan, Sengawa District. I'm Captain Ryo Takahashi. I trust the flight wasn't unpleasant. Which one are you?"

Dori switches back to English before replying, "It was all right, Captain Takahashi. I'm Detective Doreau and this is my partner, Inspector Hammer." She then gets a look at Hammer's face and sees a twitch in his eyebrow, one of his signs of withdrawal. "I think my partner's a little anxious to get back to the smell of his gun firing. He's very addicted to gunpowder."

"Ah, very good, Detective Doreau. If you'll both follow me, I have some documents for you both to sign. Meanwhile, Officer Wakana will bring up the prisoner." At that, Wakana bows and heads for the cell area. The Captain then asks, "Are you both armed?"

Sledge nods as he reaches into his jacket. "Hammer, don't."

"I'm just gonna show him I'm armed to mean business, Doreau. Trust me, I know what I'm doing."

In Japanese, Captain Takahashi says, "It's quite all right, Detective Doreau. A big gun can only mean a sign of small things."

Dori, in Japanese, retorts, "Oh, no. You did not just say what you did, Captain. Something I need to tell you about Hammer. He has an aggressiveness quotient that's in constant overdrive. He'll use any kind of violence to handle a situation. In his viewpoint, to defeat a wild criminal, you have to be as wild as they are. If not more."

The Captain, slightly amused, smirks and says, "My apologies. I hope I did not offend him. Nonetheless, we have no wild criminals here." Next thing he knows, there's a massive ruckus outside. Hammer and Doreau turn around and see their quarry.

"Stay here, Doreau." With that, Hammer, intent on protecting his partner and scoring another notch on his gun handle, draws 'Gun' and steps outside. "Hello, Crispy."

"You!" Suddenly in fear for his life, the man starts running, his hands and feet still shackled. "You nearly killed me with those wires!"

Back in the office, the Captain conversationally asks, "What did he mean by that?" When Dori's done, he shakes his head and says, "It's never a good idea to touch bare live wires with a microphone, let alone a gold one." Dori can only nod in agreement as she watches Hammer point 'Gun' at the ceiling and pull the trigger.

Outside the Police Station, Sousuke and Kaname had just gotten off the train and are walking in front of the station when they hear a gun go off inside. "It sounds like a .44 magnum, possibly a revolver. Stay here, Kaname. It could be an escape in progress."

"Oh, be careful, Sousuke."

"Roger." At that, he goes inside and Kaname watches worriedly as the door closes and the gun fires again. Once inside, Sousuke gets a look at the scene. A shackled man of Japanese descent is trying to get away from a Caucasian man with a massive gun. 'Sure called that one.'

"Get back here, you brain-dead mutant scum-sucker!"

"No way! You're crazy!" With that, Crispy charges for the door, only to be stopped by a young Japanese man that grabs and forces him to the floor. "Let me go, man! He's insane!"

"Negative. If he's here for you, then he has a job to do. Do not move." Next thing he knows, the man gets to them, smiling sinisterly.

"Thanks for stopping Crispy, kiddo. I'll take it from here." The man then gets a look at Sousuke's face and nods. "You look very tough. You'll make a great cop, son."

"Uh." Unsure as to how he should reply, Sousuke shakes his head and asks, "Are you sure, sir?"

"I am. Go on ahead to the Academy. You'll make a fine cop. You already have the stuff to be effective. Just gotta hone it to a fine edge."

"Roger." Without any further words, Sousuke bows and walks out the door. Seeing Kaname is sitting on the steps, he steps to right beside her and asks, "You ready, Kaname?"

"I am, Sousuke. So, how'd it go?"

"It was as I expected. A Japanese man was trying to escape from an American man with a .44 magnum. More than likely, he's with the Law Enforcement Community."

"Get a name?"

"Negative. However, he assumed I was a Police Cadet and feels I would make a fine cop."

"Oh, boy. I can just imagine it, Sousuke. You'd use a rocket launcher, just to get a sniper. Or even a chainsaw as an interrogation tool." She then giggles as she takes his hand and adds, "We're almost at school, Sousuke. Come on."

"Roger." At that, the young couple resume their walk, not knowing a blond-haired woman is watching them.

Back in the Station, Dori smiles as she watches the young couple walk away and gasps at the size of the girl's belly. "Hammer, I don't think he's a cadet. Even more, it looks like he's about to become a parent."

"Of course he's a cadet, Doreau. Why else would he be wearing a standard black uniform if he wasn't with the Police Academy?"

Captain Takahashi shakes his head as he says, "Inspector Hammer, the uniform for the Japanese Police Academy is light blue. Black is the standard color for a high school. I believe Officer Wakana may know what school that uniform is with. Did you notice anything unusual?"

"Other than an x-shaped scar on his left cheek, he looked pretty ordinary."

"Okay, that narrows it down. Wakana."

"Sir?"

"Use the following search parameters. X-shaped scar on left cheek, black school uniform and traveling with a pregnant female."

'I think I know who fits that description, too!' Wakana bows deeply and replies, "I will, sir."

"Very good. Inspector, Detective, during your time here, would you like to find out about the young man that helped prevent an escape?"

"Oh, very much, sir. I still can't help but wonder how he has those moves when it's unlikely residents of this nation to have been taught to do them."

"Doreau, who cares? All that matters is our guy didn't get away from us. Although, I am curious as to how good he is." He then draws the magnum and asks, "What do you say, Gun?" In the background, Captain Takahashi and Officer Wakana shake their heads in amusement while Doreau blushes in embarrassment.

"Hammer, why are you talking to your gun?"

Meanwhile, Sousuke and Kaname get to the school and see Kyoko and Shinji having a discussion. Only to next see Kyoko slap Shinji and storm away. "Sousuke, you stay and talk with Shinji. I'll talk to Kyoko."

"Roger." With that, Kaname goes after her friend while Sousuke makes his way to Shinji. "You okay, Shinji?" The bespectacled youth turns Sousuke's way, with tears in his eyes and shakes his head. "What happened?"

Meanwhile, Kaname is catching up with Kyoko as softly as possible. "Kyoko! Wait up!" When Kyoko stops and turns around, Kaname can see tears in her best friend's eyes. "Kyoko."

"Sousuke/Kaname, it's terrible what had just happened just now!"

"What happened to cause it?"

"I'm/Shinji's joining the JSDF upon graduation."

"Why?"

"So I can help protect Japan and maybe Kyoko as well. I've always wanted to do something worthwhile with my life. So, I figured I'd do so by joining the JSDF. But, it seems Kyoko didn't agree with my decision. Especially with the way things just went."

"Shinji's been wanting to do something to prove how brave he is. But, he's much too gentle. There's no way he'd be able to pull the trigger on the enemy when the time came. I don't want to lose him like that!"

"You care for him, don't you?" At Kyoko's nod, she goes on. "Don't you think Shinji does as well?"

"Of course he does. But, if something were to happen to him, I wouldn't want to go on living."

"You care for her, don't you?"

"I do. Enough to risk my life. Just like when I faced the thought of humiliation upon the thought of peeking on the girls at the hot springs. Only, it didn't turn out very well."

"No, it sure didn't. But, put yourself in her shoes or at least switch roles. If you were to find out Tokiwa was joining the JSDF upon graduation, would you support her decision? Or would you react the way she did?"

"I never really thought about it that way, Sousuke. She must really hate me."

"Put yourself in his shoes, Kyoko. If you had the desire to do anything to protect the one you cared for the most, would you do it? No matter what the risks."

"I never thought about it like that. But, given the problems in the world, he might not make it. His heart's in the right place, but he's going about it all wrong."

"No, Kyoko. He's doing anything and everything possible to ensure your safety."

"He must really hate me now."

"No, I don't think so." With tears falling from their eyes, they both look up at their friends.

Sousuke softly smiles and says, "I don't know if it'll help, but I can give you a few pointers on defensive postures, marksmanship. If anything, it could help save your life."

"If I know Sousuke, he's probably offering to give him an 'otaku crash course' in combat tactics. Remember what he did with the Rugby Team?" At Kyoko's giggle and nod, Kaname goes on. "This time, his training style would have merit. Believe me, Sousuke'll do anything to ensure that Shinji'll become a lean-mean fighting machine. He's that good, after all."

"Do you really think so?"

"I don't think it, I know it. You do/Shinji does have what it takes. All it takes is a little faith. And intestinal fortitude."

Kaname then smiles and asks, "Why don't we head back to them, Kyoko? I think there's someone that deserves an apology." Her smile goes warmer upon seeing her best friend nod.

At Shinji's nod of agreement, Sousuke says, "Very well. I will train you. But, expect no mercy. I will drive you harder than I did the Rugby Team. Granted, you're in slightly better shape, but not by much. You're going to need some intense working on to meet the challenges and rigors of training. But, for now, I think there's someone that wants to talk to you."

Turning around, Shinji sees Kyoko stepping towards him, her head bowed in shame. "I'm so sorry, Shinji-kun. I was foolish to not believe in you. Could you forgive me, please?"

"Nothing to forgive, Kyoko. If I was in your shoes, I'd have reacted the same way. If anyone should apologize, it's me. I dropped that bombshell on you without any kind of warning."

Kyoko lightly giggles as she retorts, "More like a nuclear warhead, Shinji." At that, the two bespectacled teens share a quick laugh, hug and a quick peck before taking each other's hands.

In the background, Kaname and Sousuke both smile softly as they watch their friends. "Did you offer to train him, Sousuke?"

"Affirmative."

"Well, I just hope you'll leave out the crudeness, Sousuke. After all, we want a nice-mouthed Shinji, not a foul-mouthed one."

"Roger. I'll spare him the verbal assaults. The physical ones, however." With that, he begins chuckling evilly.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" She then chuckles evilly as well as she wraps an arm around his trunk and pecks his scarred cheek. "When do you start his training, Sousuke?"

"I'm thinking tomorrow would be a good day, Kaname."

"Why tomorrow?"

"The best way to motivate someone without the use of verbal abuse is to give them at least one day of no interruptions. That includes the training hanging over their heads. The training will be abusive as it is. It's not a problem."

Meanwhile, Kyoko smiles as she asks, "Is Sousuke going to train you?"

"Uh-huh, but he didn't tell me when he'd start. More than likely, he doesn't want me to get distracted. For all I know, he could start as early as tomorrow."

"Well, let's make the best of today, then." With that, the four teens go inside, with Shinji looking over at Sousuke and seeing the same dark aura around him as it was the day the Synchro trainer came to Jindai High.

'What have I gotten myself into?' The school day progresses without incident. Miss Kagurazaka takes up the tests and tells everyone their grades will be ready by next week. They all then go to lunch and go on to end the day on a positive note.

That is until Shinji's walking along the hallway when he feels a hand tugging on his shirt. "Hey, what?" Next thing he knows, he feels a fist slam into his stomach. As he coughs to get his air back, Shinji asks, "Sousuke?"

"No, it's not that loser otaku freak. Try again, wimp."

"Seijo."

"Ding-ding-ding. We have a permanent loser as a winner today. Here's what you've won." Seijo then slams the same fist into Shinji's ribs.

"So, Kazama, I hear you're planning to join the JSDF when you graduate. Here's some advice for you. Forget about it. There's no way the JSDF will take a wimpy loser like you into their ranks. If you don't forget about it, so help me, I'll..."

"You'll what?" Next thing Seijo knows, he hears a pistol slide move back and forth. The sound is so familiar, as is the voice, he can't help but close his eyes in fear. "Guess who."

Feeling an urgent urge to empty his bladder, Seijo replies, "Sagara."

"We have a winner today. Now, next time I catch you hassling my friend, I'll track down you and all your relatives. Needless to say, when I do, it will not be pretty. Is that understood?" To emphasize his point, Sousuke jams the Glock into the bully's back.

"Very clear."

"Excellent. Life's too short to make foolish choices out of spite, malice or disrespect. Now, make like a single-celled organism and split." At that, Seijo, gathering as much decorum as he can, walks away until Sousuke yells, "Now, mister!" That has Seijo running through the hallway, nearly bowling over Principal Tsuboi and Miss Kagurazaka.

Shinji manages a weak laugh at the sight before he turns to look at Sousuke's face. "Thanks, Sousuke."

"It's not a problem." Out of concern for his friend, he then asks, "How long has he been doing that?"

"Off and on, about three years. He somewhat stopped around the time you first arrived here with a gun. Nowadays, he only bullies me when he feels you're nowhere around."

"I see. Did he bully you while I was not in country this past summer?"

"No. Since it was summertime, he went with his family on a cruise. That was actually very restful for me." Shinji does a quick check to see how badly he's hurt and immediately finds a soft spot. "Ow."

"I should get you to the Nurse. She's the only one that can determine if you'll be in good enough condition to undergo the training I have in mind. Given your most recent injuries, I can lighten up a bit. If it gets to be too much for you, just let me know and it'll be toned down some more."

"No, Sousuke. If you're going to train me, I want the works. After all, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Right?"

"Affirmative. But, I still intend to take you to the Nurse."

"Okay, Sousuke." At that, the soldier helps his smaller friend to the Nurse's Office when they see Kaname and Kyoko. "Kyoko, what're you doing here?"

"Oh, Kaname wanted to come and see about verifying something about the baby and she asked me if I'd come with." Kyoko then turns and gasps in horror at Shinji's face. "What happened to you?"

"Seijo. Luckily, Sousuke was around to help me get away from him." Sousuke nods in agreement until Shinji asks, "If it'll be safe enough, can I begin after school today?"

"Affirmative." Right then, the Nurse comes and smiles at the scene before looking at Shinji.

"Oh, you poor thing. What happened to you?"

"A bully by the name of Seijo, Nurse. I need all the information you can get me on him."

"I'm not really the one to ask, Sagara. But I'll look over Mr. Kazama though."

"Thank you. It was the primary objective for this visit after all."

"I see. What do you hope to find out?"

Shinji smiles as he replies, "Whether or not I'll be fit for the training Sousuke'll be putting me through."

"Just how much training are we talking about, Sagara?"

"The works, Nurse. As per Kazama's desire."

"Well, let's just see what we have here. Oh, Miss Chidori, I'm afraid I don't have the equipment to determine the gender of the baby. You'll just have to wait and see." She then turns her attention to Shinji and says, "Please lift up your shirt." At that, Shinji nods and does so while Sousuke goes to Kaname's side.

"Kaname?"

"It's really something foolish. Tsubaki was saying how highly he doubted it'll be a boy we're having. So, he suggested I find out just to be sure."

"You know, she does have a point, Sousuke. After all, equipment for Medical use is top of the line, but not that advanced." Kyoko giggles after saying it and gasps again upon seeing bruises on Shinji's chest. "Oh, Shinji."

The Nurse, smiling softly, says, "Okay, we're going to do this by the numbers. Where were the impacts directed?" When Shinji points out the injuries, the Nurse gently presses on the bruises.

At Shinji's hiss of pain, she subsides. "Given your physique, I'd say you're lucky you have strong ribs. I'll give you some cream to help with the pain. Sagara, when do you expect to begin his training?"

"I am intent on starting it after school tomorrow. But, if you want me to delay it, I will. It's not a problem."

"Yes. I suggest you delay for a week, tops."

"Understood." Sousuke then leans into Shinji's ear, grins wickedly and says, "In one week, you'll begin your training and belong to me. By the time I'm done with you, you'll be able to eat steel nails, chew on them and spit armor-piercing bullets. Does that sound like fun, Kazama?"

Managing a weak, yet wicked, grin of his own, Shinji nods as he replies, "Affirmative, sir."

"Most excellent." At that, Sousuke begins chuckling darkly, with Shinji not far behind.

Kaname looks over at Kyoko and sees that Kyoko's still worried about Shinji. "Don't worry, Kyoko. Sousuke won't let anything happen to Shinji. After all, who better to teach Shinji how to handle bullies wherever he goes than someone that does so? Oops."

"Kaname?"

"Something tells me you'll see soon enough, Kyoko. Trust me on that." The rest of the school day goes by without further incident.

Yet both Sousuke and Kaname feel that Shinji and Kyoko could stand to use a little company on the way home. First, they accompany Shinji home before escorting Kyoko home. Once she's safely inside, Kaname and Sousuke head for the train.

On their way to the station, they come across a very familiar sight. "Sousuke, isn't that the little old lady you helped during the flirting contest?" Sousuke looks over at the elder woman and nods.

"Affirmative. She's carrying the same kind of shopping bag like on that day, Kaname. Do you suppose she could be a terrorist in disguise?" It takes a split second for her to realize Sousuke's not joking.

"No, Sousuke. But I am curious as to why she has that same bag with her."

"As am I, Kaname. As am I. I better investigate honey, so stay close to me." With that, Sousuke brings out his Glock and primes it, with a blushing Kaname right behind him. They both cautiously follow the elderly woman and find that she's heading into a Cemetery. Needless to say, this peaks the interest of both teens as they follow the woman until they see her stop at a set of headstones.

Electing to get close enough to hear her, they do so silently and stop at a random stone.

The elderly woman kneels down on the ground and smiles softly. "Hi, Keiko. I got another present for your little boy. I know his birthday was last month, but this was just too good to pass up." She then leans over to another stone and says, "Here you go, sugar plum."

Rising to bow, she glances over to the other headstone and scowls. "It was all your fault. You got my daughter and grandson killed, Fumiko Sagara. I will never forgive you." With that, the little old lady bows to the two headstones and walks away, leaving a stunned teenage couple in her wake.

"She's your grandmother, Sousuke?" Without replying to her question, Sousuke heads to the same spot the woman was at previously. Feeling anxious, Kaname follows her Fiance to the spot and gasps when she sees a picture of Sousuke at eight years old.

She then reads the writing on the stone. "In loving memory of Keiko and Sousuke Sagara. Killed in Afghanistan." With tears falling from her brown eyes, she gently clasps Sousuke's hand in hers, letting him know he's not alone.

"Thank you, Kaname." Kaname feels him trembling and looks at his face. To her surprise, she sees tears coming out of his eyes.

"Oh, Sousuke." Without further warning, Sousuke collapses onto the ground, his body wracking with silent sobs. She then joins him on the ground and wraps him in her arms. "Let it out, honey. Let it all out." As Sousuke grieves his parents, Kaname holds him tight, shedding tears of her own and gently rubbing Sousuke's head. 'I hope I didn't make him too soft.'

Five minutes later, Sousuke's trembling ends and he looks over at Kaname, her eyes red from shedding tears too. "Kaname, you all right?"

"Hmm, I am if you are."

"Hmm, affirmative."

Kaname smiles at that and pecks his cheek, saying, "I'll never get tired of hearing you say that. It's one of my favorite words from you, sugar plum." At that, she lets out a soft giggle while Sousuke blushes the color of a fire engine. "Looks like I found a chink in your 'invincible' armor, Sousuke."

"It would appear so, Kaname. It would appear so." He then looks at the item his grandmother placed at his headstone and softly smiles. "Looks like she had my destiny in mind, Kaname. I guess she liked the tank so much, she went with the Military theme."

"Sousuke?" Taking a look, she giggles again and kisses him passionately. "It certainly fits you, Sousuke." A small stuffed bear, wearing a Japanese Military uniform. "Come on. Let's get home, honey."

"Just a moment, Kaname. I'd like to say hi to my folks first. It may not be Afghanistan, but it's the next best thing."

"Sure. Take as long as you need."

"Roger." He then looks back at his parents' headstones and bows, saying, "Hello, Mother and Father. Yes, it's me. Sousuke. I know I haven't talked to you in a while now. For that matter, I never even knew about this location's coordinates until after I saw Grandmother. I was expecting to do it in Afghanistan with Arbalest for protection. But, since you're closer to my school, I guess this will have to do." He pauses to gulp before he goes on.

"I might as well bring you up to speed. I just turned eighteen and am engaged to a fiery young beauty. You'd like her. She's pulled me and my comrades through some pretty crazy occurrences. I'm also a Specialist and about to become a Father. That's right. I met her while on assignment. I was assigned to protect her, but it later changed to something more intimate and wonderful."

Suddenly chuckling, he adds, "It took me a while to realize it, but I did and it's only gotten better from there. In case you're wondering, I'm now a mercenary for an organization named Mithril, as a Lieutenant. When I met her, I was a Sergeant. I introduce to you my Fiancee and the love of my life, Miss Kaname Chidori."

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Sagara. You have done a good job with your son, although your time with him was cut brutally short. Despite all that's happened to him, he stayed an innocent that's done and seen more than anyone should ever have to. Even though he first came home without a clue, he managed to fit in, somewhat." She can't help but pause to giggle as she squeezes Sousuke.

"He's done so much for me. Always doing what he can to protect me, along with making things a living hell for terrorists around the world. Of course, when I first met him, he was a bit of an odd bird. He still is, but not so much these days. He's constantly amazing me, along with protecting me. In short, he's sweet, protective and loyal. Along with a semi-melancholy Military maniac! But, I won't have him any other way. He's perfect the way he is, aside from his rough edges and artillery pieces."

She then kisses his cheek and says, "I love him, and I always will, Mr. and Mrs. Sagara. I wish you could be here with us to see your grandson born. I guess I'll have to settle with bringing him here along with Sousuke." At that, she suddenly yawns and blushes.

"My apologies. We had a pretty crazy day today and I'm pretty well run down. Of course, having this little rascal inside me is going to be well worth it. I'm seven months along now. Just two more to go and Sousuke Jr will be entering the world. I just hope he doesn't enter with a bang. Of course, Sousuke will probably shoot a round in celebration. Don't even think it, Sousuke."

"Aw, nuts." Kaname's jaw drops at that before she giggles and kisses him again. "Talk to you later, Mother and Father Sagara." With that, Sousuke gently rises up, with Kaname's arms still around him and they both bow before walking away from the site.

As they walk home, Kaname looks over at Sousuke and sees him deep in thought. "A sweet custard pastry for your thoughts, Sousuke."

"Just thinking about the best way to meet up with my Grandmother. I may have done it in the past, but that was when I didn't even know her. But, now that I know, I feel lost. I mean, do I go in with a grenade blast or do I just knock on her door if I can find her?"

"Well, I've always found knocking on doors to be sufficient enough. But, the grenade blast is a nice touch, especially if it's an emergency." Suddenly, they both hear a woman's scream from down the way.

"Kaname, call the Police and wait for me at the gate! I'll go assist!"

"Roger!" As Sousuke runs on, he soon fades from Kaname's sight as she finds a phone. "Police? Yes, there's a woman in trouble about five blocks from my current position. I'm at the West Gawa Cemetery. Yes, someone has gone ahead to render assistance."

Meanwhile, Sousuke is nearing the site of the scream and his blood starts boiling. 'Grandmother!' He then kicks one of the creeps and says, "Hold it!" He kicks another creep and repeats, "I said hold it!" The group, consisting of five boys, cower in fear before charging at him. Next thing they know, they all have their kneecaps kicked inward.

As they lie on the ground, clutching their destroyed knees, Sousuke goes over to the woman and says, "I thought I told you to be careful, ma'am." The woman looks at Sousuke before blinking and smiling in recognition.

"Why, you're the nice boy that helped me find that lovely tank for my grandson's birthday. How have you been, dearie?"

"I've had a very interesting year to say the least, ma'am." The old woman then scowls when she sees what Sousuke had done.

"You do realize those boys are in pain, right?"

He nods as he says, "Affirmative."

"Who are you?"

Sousuke nods and softly replies, "I am Sousuke." To his shock, the woman slaps him.

"How dare you use my grandson's name? Not to mention, in connection with destroying kneecaps. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"Not if he was doing it to protect you, ma'am." They both turn and see Kaname. "Can't you see? It's your grandson in front of you, Mrs. Sagara."

"I'm Kimiko Fujisaka. I was Sousuke's maternal grandmother. His Father was a worthless nobody that only dreamed of better things for everyone else. I still loved my daughter, even though she sent her life down the drain supporting him. I loved my grandson even more."

"Father was not worthless, nor was Mother." The woman turns and looks at Sousuke intently. "You said your grandson looks like me, a little bit. That would be true if you had known what he would look like years later. Aside from my scar, it's me, Grandmother."

Kimoka peers intently at Sousuke's eyes and flinches at the steel-grey color before relaxing at the softness of his gaze. She then gently places a palm along his left cheek and shudders upon coming into contact with his scar. "You look so much like him, it's scary. If you didn't have the scar, it'd be a perfect match."

"He didn't get the scar until after his parents died, ma'am." Kimoka looks over at Kaname crossly and scowls at her belly. Kaname catches this and grins, saying, "That's right. Sousuke's going to be a Daddy."

"You mean you're buying into his charade? My grandson is dead and this young man is a fake. Convincing, but a fake nonetheless."

"Oh no, he isn't. He's alive, here and about to become a Daddy to your great-grandson." To her horror, Kimoka wheels to face toward her and stomps forward, raising her hand. Suddenly, the elderly woman is stopped by a gentle, yet firm, grip from Sousuke's hand.

"Relative or not, no one will harm my Fiancee. Do not test my resolve, at all." Kimoka turns around to look into Sousuke's eyes and cringes when she sees a sharp glare. "I can only hope you can forgive my Father for doing the right thing. Otherwise, you can forget getting forgiveness from me regarding your treatment of my Fiancee." He then releases Kimoka's hand and goes to Kaname's side. "The Police should be here momentarily. They'll handle the clean-up."

With that, the young couple leave a stunned Kimoka and a group of witnesses behind. As they make their way to the train station, Kaname picks up on her Fiance's trembling and she puts her head on his shoulder in agreement.

"I'll say. That definitely was not a good reunion, Sousuke. Why didn't she believe you or me?"

"No idea, Kaname. But, if I had to speculate, I'd have to say it was because she spent all those years, thinking me dead with Mother and Father. I don't think she even envisioned me being a mercenary."

"If I had known you back then, Sousuke, I'd have found it difficult to believe myself. But, since I met you, my mind has been deluged with massive amounts of knowledge and I've been having the time of my life. From one dangerous mess to the next, it's always been a blast with you around." She then blinks and asks, "What about Luke, though? How'd he accept you so quickly?"

"He never gave up hope. Of course, he had his doubts, but he never gave up hope."

"As long as there's life, there's always hope. Right?" At Sousuke's puzzled glance, she adds, "It's something I heard some time back."

"Ah." With that, they arrive at the train station, not having seen a familiar-looking old woman walk past them in tears.

As Kimiko walks past the station, she catches sight of the young man that had casually used her grandson's first name as if it was common. When she sees the young woman with him, she still has her doubts but begins thinking.

'What if he really is my grandson? Where has he been all this time?' Five minutes later, she arrives at her home and goes in.

At about that time, the train arrives in Tamagawa and it's two most unique passengers get out. Sousuke softly takes Kaname's hand into his and they both walk together. Suddenly, Kaname stops, bringing Sousuke to a hastened halt.

"Kaname?" He turns to see why Kaname stopped and automatically sees the reason. "Well, it would certainly meet the criteria. The Toyota Sienna has achieved quite a few safety ratings. I am not sure about the color, though."

"Don't be such a silly, Sousuke. Besides, the red and white coloring scheme reminds me of Mother and myself. Now, if it was camouflage, it'd definitely remind me of you. Don't even think about asking to change the coloring either. The last thing I'd need would be for you to take the van out into the field on a mission and get it shot full of holes."

"Hello down there!" The young couple look up and see a young woman smiling down upon them. "I just put that 'For Sale' sign up a little while ago! Interested?"

"Yes, we are! I'm Kaname and this is my Fiance, Sousuke!"

"Come on up and we'll talk!"

Sousuke nods and replies, "Roger!" Looking over at Kaname, he asks, "Are you certain, Kaname?"

Smiling softly as she places Sousuke's hand to her womb, she replies, "Affirmative."

Fifteen minutes later, Sousuke and Kaname are the proud owners of a late model, two-toned Toyota Sienna. The top half being white and the lower half red. The price was within Sousuke's price range. Of course, when he was asked what he did for work, he only replied with his most basic and frank answer.

"Just this and that. Mostly, I run a restaurant." It was close enough to the truth, if not just a little bit vague.

"What's the name of it?"

"It's named 'The Grilled Otaku'. I actually own the place."

"Oh, I love your 'Bandage Lasagna'. Along with your 'Field Litter Pizza'." Kaname softly giggles as the woman gushes on and on as she gets the van's paperwork and the keys to it. "Congratulations, Mr. Sagara and Miss Chidori. On both your purchase and your oncoming child."

Curious, along with slightly suspicious, Sousuke asks, "What prompted you to sell the van in the first place? It's nearly new and in excellent shape."

The woman smiles sadly and replies, "You're quite observant, Mr. Sagara. I'm dying. Ovarian Cancer. I was also pregnant, but wound up losing the baby." At Kaname's gasp, she nods and goes on. "It was such a nightmare for me. Having just lost the baby along with hearing the news about the cancer. The Doctors say I only have three months left. It's too far ahead for treatment to do any good."

Sousuke bows and says, "I apologize for distressing you on such a personal matter."

"No, no. You were naturally curious. Truth be told, I'm glad I told you both. Live every day like it's the last. _'Carpe Diem'_. It means 'Seize the day'. It's a good way to live. Don't you think?"

"Affirmative. Such was the case when I was in Afghanistan after my parents died."

Kaname nods in agreement with her Fiance's remark, knowing it's as close to the truth as possible. With that, the woman bids them good-bye and they walk out the door together. When they get to the van, Sousuke performs a cursory examination of it and gives Kaname the 'all clear' sign.

Up in the apartment, the woman smiles again, but not out of sadness. 'It is done. I have no regrets. They're such a lovely young couple too.' With that, she gets onto her knees and brings out a knife, her intent and purpose clear to her. Bringing the tip of the blade against her wrist, she smiles upon seeing blood start seeping out.

At the same time, Sousuke and Kaname drive the van away from the woman's apartment complex, intent on getting the van registered in their names as soon as possible. Once they do that, they drive their new van to their apartment and Sousuke locks it. As Sousuke walks away from the van, he begins pondering the woman's story. Shaking his head, he elects to let it go, even though his combat senses are all keyed up.

A week later, Wakana, Hammer and Doreau are walking through Sengawa. Wakana had delayed for as long as possible, but couldn't delay any further. The prisoner had been extradited earlier in the week by one of their fellow Officers, with a message for Captain Trunk. Ironically enough, there was a message for Hammer and Doreau.

"_Hammer! Do not, under any circumstances, show them your unique view of how to enforce the Law! If you do, there will be nothing left of Japan! Doreau, it's up to you to keep the destructive juggernaut from going too far. I might like to go see Japan when you both return home. When I retire, it'll be as far from Hammer as possible." _

"Here's the gist of it. His name is Sousuke Sagara. An orphan. He's a Military otaku. Highly skilled with firearms, explosives, anything to do with the Military. He's engaged to a young woman named Kaname Chidori. They're also expecting a child. They both attend Jindai High School and are Seniors this year."

"Why'd it take so long to find him, Officer Whack-job?"

"Hammer!" Once again in embarrassment, Doreau, in Japanese, says, "Please accept my apologies for my demented partner. Just so you know, he's a far bigger whack-job than anyone we have on the force. In his case, it's a term of endearment for those that think like he does."

"I see. Well, in any case, here we are. Jindai High School. Also, here's another item I forgot to mention. Jindai High School has seen more detonations than any other high school. It all points toward Sousuke Sagara. The Assistant Principal once called him a chronic property wrecker and a class nuisance. His behavior was even described as being highly erratic."

"Sounds exactly like Hammer." Both ladies share a quick chuckle while Hammer looks at the two of them, even while they were speaking in Japanese.

He then shrugs and says, "Let's go see if we talk to the sea urchin, Doreau."

Dori switches back to English before replying, "Okay, Hammer. But, you might want to take it easy on him. He's only a teenage boy with a morbid fascination for guns and bombs. Just like you must have been at his age."

"Nah, that didn't come till later. So, Officer Wakana, where did he get his weapons training at if he's only a teen?"

"As best I can guess, Afghanistan, running with the rebels. Fighting for his life after his parents died."

Dori gasps in shock and says, "That's awful! Well, something caused him to come out of it pretty okay. But, still..."

"Oh, no. Not this again." Wakana looks over at an exasperated Hammer as he groans.

Dori smiles softly as she says, "Hammer, I'm just thinking he needs some Mothering. Maybe it'll do him some good."

When they get inside, Wakana does the introductions. "Inspector Sledge Hammer and Detective Dori Doreau would like to speak with a student named Sousuke Sagara, Madam Principal."

Principal Tsuboi looks over the two and asks, "What Department are they with?"

Dori switches to Japanese and replies, "We're with the Bay City PD in the United States. We were here on an extradite when our prisoner tried to escape. Young Mr. Sagara helped stop it."

"I see." Principal Tsuboi rises from her desk and replies, "He's not on the grounds right now."

"Where is he?"

"He's teaching a classmate a thing or two of self-defense. It's coinciding with the training for the classmate's induction into the JSDF. However, he had to push it back a week considering an incident involving another student."

"What happened?"

"His classmate was assaulted by Seijo Takahashi."

Wakana's eyes bulge out upon hearing it. "Takahashi? That's my Superior Officer's last name."

"It is? Well, perhaps you can pass this message on to him for me. The next time his son assaults a student, one of two things will happen. One, he'll be expelled. Two, we'll let young Sagara deal with him." She looks back at Wakana and asks, "Can you handle that, Officer?"

"Yes ma'am. In fact, if I may, I'd like a little word with that boy as well."

Hammer can only sigh exasperatedly as he asks, "Could someone in here please speak English?"

Meanwhile, Shinji and Sousuke are walking toward the training area that Sousuke had used for the Rugby Team. "I figured it'd be a good idea to keep it as it was used. You will never find a tougher course than this one. First, put on these fatigues. The pockets in the pants legs have soft weights put in, as do the pockets on the fatigue shirts. The soles of the boots are also weighted with metal weights. They'll help increase your stamina and endurance for combat training.

The weight of each is roughly thirty-five pounds, seeing the strongest limbs are the legs. The soft weights will help you gain strength and tone your muscle mass. For safety's sake, I've started you off with twenty pounds. As training progresses, I'll tack on more without warning."

Shinji nods as he bows and goes to change. 'I hope I can make it through this. Sousuke'd make a scary Drill Sergeant if you make him angry enough. It's a good thing he's only an otaku. Right?'

Thirty minutes later, Shinji's on the ground, starting to second-guess himself and his desire. First, Sousuke had him do a diagnostic lift of a log, weighing only twenty pounds. He barely pulled it off, but he did it with Sousuke's encouragement. Then, Sousuke had him run a lap of a half-mile with the log. That wore him down considerably.

Shinji's still on the ground when he sees Sousuke standing above him. "Am I in Hell?"

"Negative. Now jump, yardbird!" That gets Shinji up off the ground and standing at 'Attention'. "It seems I have my work cut out for me. You are as raw as they come, Kazama. For the next three weeks, I'll push you beyond your limits until you're honed to a razor's edge. Do you get me?"

"Sir, I get you, sir!"

"Good. Now, here's what you're going to do next." He turns his torso and points at the first obstacle. "You're going to charge at that net, full out, climb over it and scale down from it until you get about four feet from the ground. The increments are marked clearly so you'll know when to jump down. Upon hitting the ground, you'll head for and cross the log river on your belly, using only your arms to pull yourself along the logs. Once you're across, we'll move on to the next part of the exercise."

He then suddenly grins as he pulls out a frag grenade and adds, "By the way, you have until the grenade in my hand explodes to complete the course. I'll give you, say, about four minutes before I throw it backwards. Once it explodes, time's up." With that, he pulls out the pin with his teeth.

Feeling frightened and freaked, along with a rush from the danger aspect, Shinji goes toward the net and climbs up it. He doesn't even look behind him to see Sousuke walking up casually, a massive grin on his face. Once he reaches the top he gets a secure handhold and begins scaling down.

Once he's at four feet from the ground, he jumps down and runs to the 'Log River'. As he clambers across the logs, he catches a glimpse of Sousuke preparing to throw the grenade. Not wanting to lose points, Shinji scrambles frantically until he gets off of the 'River', at which point Sousuke throws the grenade. Upon detonation, a tree falls down and Sousuke smiles proudly.

"You did rather well, Kazama. Especially if given the proper incentive. You see, five minutes had actually gone by since you started. The grenade at the end was the actual end."

Realization hits Shinji as he says, "Oh, like a celebration of sorts."

"Affirmative." He then steps closer to Shinji and asks, "Are you ready for the next evolution?"

"Sir, yes sir!"

At that point, Kaname and Kyoko are walking up the path when they both hear Wakana's voice. "Miss Chidori, wait up!" Kaname turns around, as does Kyoko, and both girls see two Caucasians with the unhinged Officer. "These two would like to speak with your Fiance about the incident last week at the Police Station."

"I see. Well, he's training Shinji Kazama with an otaku crash course. We're on the way there now to take them some food." Next thing they know, they hear an explosion just ahead of them.

Her eyes wide, Kyoko screams, "Shinji!"

Kyoko then takes off running, in fear that Shinji had gotten hurt in the blast. Wakana and the others run as well while Kaname calmly snickers and walks casually. When Kyoko gets to the training ground, she receives a massive surprise. Shinji scaling up and down the rope before running through a ditch with tires in it. Once he gets through the ditch, Sousuke throws another grenade, bringing down another tree.

Blinking in disbelief, Kyoko softly asks, "What is going on here?" Without any further words, Kyoko runs toward them. Sousuke spots her and charges toward her.

"Miss Tokiwa, stop!" Once Kyoko has stopped, Sousuke eases his pace and says, "You're nearing an adhesive land-mine field. Just follow my directions and you won't get stuck." Kyoko lightly and nervously giggles as Sousuke directs her through the field.

Once she's through, she asks, "What's going on, Sousuke?"

"Shinji's training, of course. Let me guess. You heard the explosion and were worried he had gotten hurt and came to be sure he was okay. Am I correct so far?" At Kyoko's nod, he goes on.

"It's understandable. If she were in your shoes and I was in Shinji's, Kaname would undoubtedly be the same way. Kaname always worries about me, even when she knows I can handle myself. I guess it's in the nature of our counterparts, when it comes to our respective genders."

"Yeah, it is. So, how's he doing, Sousuke?"

"It seems I have my work cut out for me. His physique is ideal for Arm Slave operations, but there will come times he won't be in an AS. He's terribly thin and gaunt. But I can work something with him. So far, he's doing very well today. But, he'll be very sore come the end of the day. The training regimen I went through is the same kind that he is. Ideal for those intending to join elite units."

With stars in her eyes, Kyoko asks, "You mean, the best of the best?"

"Affirmative." Next thing Sousuke knows, Kyoko's hugging him tightly. Unsure how to proceed, he sees Wakana, the man from the previous week along with another woman and Kaname. Haplessly, he shrugs until he sees Kaname smile and nod.

At that, he returns the hug, saying, "You're welcome, Kyoko." He then releases her from his arms and smiles softly at Kaname.

At that, Kyoko giggles as she snaps her fingers and says, "By the way, we brought you guys some lunch. Courtesy of 'The Grilled Otaku' Restaurant. Kaname told me you own the place, so we figured you'd like to try some of the food from there."

"Ah, excellent timing, Kyoko." Turning toward Shinji, he says, "We've got chow, Kazama! Come and get it!"

"Roger!" At that, Shinji bolts toward them and comes to a halt in front of Sousuke. "Ready for chow, sir!"

"Hold it a minute!" They all turn at the man's voice and he goes on. "I'm Inspector Sledge Hammer and this is my partner, Detective Dori Doreau. We're with the Bay City Police Department. I believe we met last week, about this time."

"Affirmative, sir." Dori then steps forward and gets a good look at Sousuke's face. Upon seeing his scar, she can't help but wince and shed a tear.

"What happened to your cheek?"

"An Afghani rebel leader caused it with his knife, in order to identify me as an outsider, ma'am. I've come to terms with it. It's not a problem."

"Well, that's just well and good that you accepted it. Are you truly armed? If you are, they're illegal for mere civilians to have. Especially Military otaku civilians that happen to be in their teens."

'Damn! Not good!' Looking over at Kaname, he sees her nod and understanding smile. "All right, but what you're about to hear does not leave this field. At all. Any sign of compromise, you will be dealt with, severely. Loss of reputations, jobs and respect of those around you."

'Whew. I thought what he meant was we'd wind up being killed!' Dori then shakes her head and nods. "Very well. I agree. What about you, Sledge?"

"Yeah, okay. It's not like he's a teenage mercenary. So it should be good for a laugh or two."

"Actually, I am." Thoroughly stunned, everyone except for Kaname and Sousuke drop their jaws. "I'm Sousuke Sagara, Lieutenant of Mithril. My call sign is Urzu-7, ID number B-3128. I've been a warrior ever since I was eight years old. I first started as a child soldier. As I grew, so did my skills. When I first came across the closest thing I have to a Father, we were enemies. We then forged a partnership in order to defeat a mutual enemy, a very brutal and sadistic man. My Father figure went on to become my Superior Officer."

Kyoko turns to look at Kaname and sees her friend smiling sadly. "Kaname, you've always known about him?"

"I have. Ever since that night in Khanka."

"Then, he was here to ensure nothing happened to you?" At Kaname's soft nod, she asks, "Why didn't you tell me? We've always told each other everything."

"I couldn't, Kyoko. Mithril is a mercenary organization on the side of Justice. They work best in secret, so the rest of the world doesn't blow up."

"Why is he here, Kaname?" Kyoko nods in agreement with Shinji's question.

"He first started as my protector. Or, in his terms, my Life Insurance Agent and Policy. At first, I was just part of his duty. But, over time, we developed feelings for each other and fell in love."

"Well, I've heard of meeting strange and interesting people. I guess this is a fine example of it. But, why is he your protector?"

"I'm sorry, Inspector Hammer. But I cannot reveal that information as I only have limited knowledge about the reason." Sousuke then walks over to Kaname and pecks her lips, adding, "But I can tell you this much. If anyone was to attempt harming my Fiancee or our son, they will not die well."

That causes a chill to go down their spines while Kyoko and Shinji recall that night in Khanka. "The rescue unit. Was it Mithril, Sousuke?"

"Affirmative, Miss Tokiwa." Next thing he knows, her arms are wrapped around him again and Kyoko's shuddering with sobs.

"Thank you, Sousuke. Could you pass my thanks onto them as well?"

"It's all right, Kyoko. You're welcome. As long as innocents are safe, it's the main thing. Primarily, that's Mithril's main focus. Very much like the directives Commander Murphy in Detroit has. 'Protect the innocent'. The first one, 'Serve the public trust', that's one thing Mithril doesn't do. 'Uphold the Law', well, only indirectly do we do it. Mostly, we destroy drug factories and eliminate terrorist camps. I will relay your thanks to my colleagues."

Next thing he knows, Dori and Sledge are softly laughing, along with Wakana's psychotic laughter. Sledge then walks up to Sousuke and says, "If that's not upholding the Law, I don't know what is." Turning his attention to Dori, he adds, "Looks like he's already a fine cop, Doreau. Too bad no one else knows about him or his force."

Sousuke smiles as he replies, "Actually, there are some people that know about Mithril. They're mostly people in the background. Politicians, businessmen/women, just to give a rough sketch."

"Have you ever killed anyone?"

"Affirmative, Detective Doreau. I've killed quite a few enemies in the past years I've been a soldier. My most recent kill was the man that created the Sho-Da-Kah. Needless to say, he'll be staying dead this time."

Her interest peaked, Dori asks, "How'd you kill him?"

"I shot him in the head with rounds from my Steyr SPP while Street Hawk blew his internal organs away. To confirm the man's death, I used the most reliable method. Destruction, by means of a high-yield explosive. I then gained possession of the man's head to give to my Superior Officer as a trophy. That was when I found out." He then takes hold of Kaname's hand and smiles softly, with Kyoko catching it.

"About what, Kaname?"

"Me, Kyoko. Me and our baby."

"Oh, wow!" Now giggling, Kyoko gently places her hand on Kaname's belly, with Shinji doing the same. Suddenly, they both feel a tap while Kaname twitches. "I gather it was a Mithril Doctor that told you."

"That's right. Or at least a piece of it's technology. Mithril's Medical Technology is far more advanced than the current standards. With the equipment they have, they can determine the results in seconds. Same with pregnancies. I was three weeks along when I found out I'd be having a little boy. He's going to be just like his Father in many aspects. Tough, rugged, ready for anything."

"Only this time, he'll have both of you. Unlike after what had happened to Sousuke."

"That's right, Detective Doreau. But, how did you know?" To her surprise, along with everyone else, Wakana chuckles softly and steps forward.

"I thought I'd start a file on him after our match, Miss Chidori. Looking at his records and considering his weapon skills, I was able to patch together a file on him. Of course, it was mostly guesswork." She then shrugs and adds, "Looks like my guesses were right on the mark."

"Guesswork, or hunches, are usually acceptable methods for investigations. As long as we're together, let's eat. Today's a nice enough day to eat out." The others nod in agreement with Sousuke's suggestion and sit down. "Shinji, you might want to eat slowly. It'll allow your body to absorb the nutrients more effectively."

"Okay, thanks Sousuke."

"It's not a problem."

For the next thirty minutes, they eat together. Kaname and Kyoko both look at their guys and softly giggle while Sledge is being eyed by Wakana. Surprisingly enough to Dori, she finds the attention being paid to her partner disturbing. Especially since Wakana is seemingly disturbed in her book.

Meanwhile, the insane Police Officers eat, with Wakana glancing over at Sledge more and more often than usual. To her discouragement, Sledge is being either oblivious or standoffish.

Sledge looks over at Sousuke and asks, "How do you rate your problem solving, Lt. Sagara?"

"How do you mean, sir?"

"How wild are you when it comes to the scum-suckers you come across?"

"Short and to the point as much as possible. Just last month I sent a concussion grenade down a man's armored pants when a round from my Glock had no effect on him. The resultant detonation was enough to sever the man's testicles from his body."

Dori's eyes bulge out, causing her to swallow quickly and then blush as she asks, "Wasn't that a tad much?"

"Negative, ma'am. After all, when you're dealing with an enemy significantly larger than yourself, it's the only reasonable tactic for dealing with him. Trust me on this when I say that man was one gigantic sucker. His height must have been six foot eight, easy. He's fortunate I had elected to use a concussion grenade rather than a fragmentary type. The end result wouldn't have been pretty if I had used a frag type."

'No, I guess not.' Dori looks over at Sledge and sees him smiling at Sousuke's story. "You enjoyed that, didn't you?"

"It was violent and highly unnecessary, Doreau. I loved it. The way he told it was poetry in motion."

Dori can only chuckle in amusement as she says, "He enjoyed it. Lt. Sagara?"

"Yes, Detective Doreau?"

"How old were you when your parents died? It must have been trying on you. Not having the time to grieve your parents and having to take up arms in order to survive."

"Eight and affirmative, ma'am. It was hell in the camps. Every day was a fight for survival. Be it in the field or the camps themselves. There were even days I had wondered why my parents were dead and I wasn't. But, for some reason, I stayed alive and grew stronger. That reason is right here with me right now, with our son within. If I had died, I would never have met Kaname and she most likely would not be alive right now."

Kyoko gasps at that, noticing that Kaname had reached over to Sousuke's hand and taken it into hers. Nervously, Kaname asks, "Now do you see why we couldn't tell anyone about Sousuke's true purpose here? If they were to find out, one of three things would have happened." Kaname pauses to drink some juice and swallows before resuming.

"One, mass panic. It would have resulted in a large amount of casualties. Two, an attack by a very hostile terrorist faction. It would have resulted in the same thing as the first thing. Three, Sousuke would have been gone out of our lives and Mithril would have sent a desk jockey instead of a field man. It may have been peaceful, but it would have been boring as hell. Like Kyoko said the second day Sousuke was here, he's like a breath of fresh air."

Kaname then looks around and sees everyone looking intently at her. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

Sousuke smiles softly before kissing her, replying, "Negative, Kaname. You're crossing over. You're becoming more and more like me every day."

"Well, let's do the math here. I'm engaged to a scruffy, yet attractive, Mithril warrior with the SRT. I'm having his baby and just now starting to speak like him somewhat. It's bound to happen when it comes to engaged couples."

"I see. Will I have to start carrying a halisen with me?" Kaname looks into Sousuke's eyes and sees a slight glint of amusement at the thought.

"Probably so, Sousuke. Meanwhile, I'll carry around all the grenades and C-4 I possibly can and turn the school into a smoking ruin. Just to be sure you and our son are kept safe. It won't be a problem for me." Next thing the couple knows, they're laughing softly as they kiss each other passionately. "Hmm, I love you, you big galoot."

"I love you too, you hot-blooded spitfire."

Sledge looks over at Dori and considers their past history. When they had been first partnered together, there was something about her that attracted him. Her assertiveness and support of his often harebrained ideas. Which while seeming to be half-baked, they often turn out to be very close to the mark, if not on the mark itself.

Dori looks over at Sledge again and sees him looking at her, resulting in a massive blush. She then remembers the time that Hammer told her she was acting like him. Right down to his aggressively hostile personality. All of a sudden, she remembers his proposal to her and her disappointment that he wasn't being serious.

'How can I have taken that kind of joke? It's so cruel!' Without any further words, she gets up and says, "I'm going to go for a walk. I'll be back in a bit, Hammer." For an instant, the group could detect some melancholy in her tone.

"I'll walk with you, Detective. Besides, I could use the exercise. I'm sure Sousuke Jr wouldn't mind."

"Thank you, Miss Chidori." With that, the two women walk away from the scene. Two minutes later, Doreau is quietly sniffling.

"Detective?"

"I have a crush on my partner, Miss Chidori. I'm sure you felt the same way with your guy."

"Yeah, I did and still do. Even though he is a handful, he makes me quite happy. At first, I thought he was a maniac with delusions of military life. Instead, I found out that he is actually a soldier. A brave, heroic and often clueless soldier, nowhere near in touch with his emotions. All he had was his duty. But now, things have changed very drastically. We danced around our feelings toward each other so much, it was starting to look like a waltz."

"How did you realize your feelings for each other?"

"I picked petals off a flower while Sousuke did a round of 'Russian Roulette', aimed at a wall with a picture of Gauron. That was the guy that Sousuke took the head of for his Commanding Officer. Trust me when I tell you he was harder to kill than a ninja cockroach. The guy simply refused to stay dead anytime Sousuke thought he'd died. The most recent time in Shanghai was Gauron's 'Swan Song'. Believe me, that was one guy you would not enjoy hanging out with. He was totally whacked!"

Dori smiles at the thought of Sledge tying someone like Gauron onto his car and calling him either Bambi or his favorite hood ornament. "How do you put up with all that Sousuke does? Mithril must not be aware of his reputation around here. If they knew, they probably would have pulled him out."

"Oh, they're aware all right. In fact, the Finance and Legal Departments for Mithril constantly have a fit when they come across an estimate for damages by Sousuke. In fact, right now, there's a pool floating around as to how many detonations Sousuke'll be doing on school grounds before the baby's born. The odds are not in Sousuke's favor."

"What kind of odds did he get? Just out of curiosity."

"Fifty explosions before the birth to twenty afterward. The grenade detonations included make it about thirty detonations so far since they found out."

Dori winces at it before saying, "They must really dislike him to give him those odds. In some ways, I'd say Hammer's a lot like Sousuke. Although I seriously doubt Sousuke'd call the terrorists he'd come across scum-suckers or say 'Trust me, I know what I'm doing'. Something along those lines."

Kaname smirks and says, "Let me guess. That's what Hammer says. What was his Father's name? Jack?"

"How'd you know that?" At that, they both share a soft laugh before Dori gets a look at Kaname's belly. "You must be really proud right now. About to give birth to a soldier's son. But, won't Sousuke be away from you? Given his circumstances of being a warrior."

"He was ordered to stay with me in Tokyo during the ninth month. A man that he'd consider to be a Father figure to him, along with his Superior Officer, decided it'd be a good idea for him to be around for Sousuke Jr's birth. Along with the woman he'd consider to be a big sister."

"Did he ever have a girlfriend before?"

"Nope. I'm pleased to report that I was his first one and am even more pleased to be his Fiancee. You see, since he had bounced from one place to another, he never had time to establish a romantic relationship. Add that to no woman would ever consider him worthy of her. Not even in the remotest corner of the tundra. His colleague's words, not mine."

She then shrugs and adds, "They don't know what they passed up on or even allowed to slip by them. If they had known just how nice he would be in his own unique way, let alone very handsome, he'd have been betrothed before even coming into my life. Here's the kicker. His Superior Officer had a crush on him."

"What? His Superior was a weirdo?"

"I don't know if I'd call her a weirdo, but she did have a crush on him."

"She? How old was she? Thirty?"

Kaname laughs as she replies, "Nope. She's eighteen now. She's the same as I am. The reason for Sousuke being my protector." She then smirks as she asks, "Ever been married before?"

"No, I haven't. But Hammer was married once. He met her online and they had gotten married. Only for her to divorce him a little later on. She couldn't understand that as a cop, he'd be on call on the time. Some women just can't handle being married to a cop. She was no exception."

"Does he have friends he can talk to?"

"Well, there's one he's always talking to. But, it makes him look crazy."

"Why's that?"

Dori then sighs as she replies, "He talks to his gun. Even more, he named it. 'Gun'. Of course, he'd deny it by waving it off."

Kaname lightly giggles as she says, "I can picture Sousuke doing that. Only he talks to the AI in his Arm Slave."

Dori can't help but laugh softly as she thinks about Hammer talking to an AI. Casually, she asks, "Did you ever wonder what would happen if Sousuke were to meet someone like he is? Loyal, brave, exceedingly violent and destructive."

"Oh yeah. You gotta admit, they're a couple of very strange guys."

"Yep, they certainly are. But, I guess that's what it comes down to when it comes to the most significant guys in our lives."

"Yeah. It certainly does. So, did you ever meet her?"

"Yeah. She married an old friend of Hammer's. He even did the most unthinkable thing."

"What was that?"

"He went to the Church without his gun. His ex-wife, our Captain and I were all surprised. For that matter, I think he was surprised as well. He hardly went anywhere without it."

"Well, Sousuke went to a wedding with his Glock and caught the garter with it at the reception." That causes Dori to laugh raucously as she pictures Hammer doing the same thing with 'Gun'.

"Kaname, no matter what, don't let anyone come between you and Sousuke. That way, you can be guaranteed a very lively life. With no dull moments whatsoever."

Kaname nods before thinking of a very good idea. "If you want a sure-fire way to get Hammer's attention, I can tell you about it." Sure enough, this peaks Dori's curiosity.

Meanwhile, back at the training site, Sledge is still eating until Sousuke asks, "How long have you and Detective Doreau been partners, Inspector?"

Sledge takes an uneasy swallow before replying, "About twenty years now."

"Are you attracted to her?"

Not quite knowing how to reply, Hammer merely shrugs and replies, "I think I am. But, I don't know how to go about it."

"You're the same way I was when I realized my feelings for Kaname. Unsure and concerned. It's quite natural to be unsure of yourself off the battlefield. But, when you're on the battlefield, you don't have time to ponder the vagaries or mysteries of life. Only thing you have time for is survival. Of both your comrades and yourself. Even when dealing with a malfunctioning weapon, all you have time for is survival."

"You dealt with that quite a bit, didn't you?"

"Affirmative."

Wakana clears her throat and asks, "Was this your first mission in a high school?"

"Also affirmative." He then shakes his head ruefully and chuckles, adding, "I missed out on so much of life. All I had in front of me was war, death and survival. My Commanding Officers felt it would be a good experience for me, since I hadn't been to school in years. Little did they realize how correct they would be."

"It must get pretty lonely out in the field. Any friends, family?"

"Affirmative. My Mithril colleagues serve as both when I'm out in the field. In my school life, Kaname is my family and our classmates are our friends. My personal life, Kaname's my Fiancee and I have an older cousin. His name's Luke. He lives in the States in Michigan."

Sledge then asks, "Why not go to him when your parents died? It would have been a lot better than taking up arms."

"While I agree it would have been better, it wouldn't have worked very well. Around the time my parents died, Luke and his family were informed I was among the dead. The Kremlin relayed their regrets and condolences, but they were to badly shocked to even acknowledge it."

Kyoko, feeling sorrow for her friend, puts a hand on his shoulder in a consoling manner. "That must have been so horrible for you, Sousuke."

"Affirmative. But, I grew stronger and joined the fight for Justice. That was when the greatest thing happened to me."

"Meeting me, because meeting him was the greatest thing to happen to me." Kaname then smirks as she runs her fingers through his ruffled brown hair. Behind her, Dori signals for Sledge to head over to her.

"Hey, Dori."

"Hey, Sledge." Without further warning, Dori launches herself onto Sledge, saying, "I'm crazy about you!" Next thing she knows, they're both on the ground. It seems the impact of Dori's body against Sledge's was enough to knock them both down onto the ground.

"Doreau, you okay?" Dori looks upon Sledge's face and sees pure emotion in his blue eyes.

"Yeah, I am. In fact, I feel kinda lucky."

The sight and words bring back a memory in Sousuke's mind.

_Captain Testarossa climbing up the rope ladder for the M9, only for her to lose her grip. Next thing he knew, she fell down and landed on top of him. When they looked at each other, she had evidently seen his face._

"_Are you all right, Captain?"_

"_I'm fine. In fact, I'm feeling kinda lucky." Accidentally, Sousuke caught a glimpse of her chest and felt his face burning._

"_Not good. This is really not good." He then started dragging himself along the beach, with Captain Testarossa on top still and giggling. Sousuke failed to see the humor in the situation._

"Sousuke, you okay?" Sousuke blinks his eyes and sees Kaname with a worried look in her brown eyes.

"Affirmative. It's just that I recalled the time I was asked to train the Captain in piloting an AS."

"I bet that's one memory she'll always treasure."

He then puts it together and says, "You told Detective Doreau about the time the Captain fell on top of me."

"Yep. That I did." Next thing she knows, Sousuke's communications unit chimes.

"Sagara. She has? She was, eh? Ouch. Yeah, that would do it all right. Ms. McCoy did it? Roger. Urzu 7 out." He puts the communicator back in his pocket and takes Kaname to the side for a private conversation. "That was HQ. They just got word from Team Hawk."

"What happened, Sousuke?"

"Simone Prevera's been found."

"Is she alive for prosecution?"

"Negative. She took five hollow-points in her torso when Ms. McCoy opened fire on her."

"Ouch. But, why Ms. McCoy?"

"Ron tossed her his Glock when Prevera reached for a Derringer and grabbed it, a pair of bullets in her hand. Ms. McCoy was able to keep Prevera from opening the gun's breach and opened fire, killing her deader than a doornail."

Kaname can't help but sigh in relief as she says, "That's one more lunatic down. And a bunch more to go. Was she working with anyone or was she working solo?"

"Affirmative. She was working with a man named Garthe Knight. He's dead as well." Sousuke then sighs before adding, "Something else too."

"What's that, Sousuke?"

"The tips of the bullets in Prevera's hand were coated with a new penetration capability chemical."

"Penetration?" In horror, Kaname's eyes bolt open as she asks, "You don't mean...?"

"Affirmative. If any of Team Hawk's members had been hit with one of those rounds, they would have died. Even with their armored suits. The Sand Hawk buggy took a hit during a robbery the other day. Thankfully enough, Kim was not harmed. However, if it had been ten inches to the left, she would not be alive."

Kaname sighs in relief, now having heard of their friends being safe. She then asks, "Anything else happen?"

"Affirmative. It seems Ms. Prevera and Mr. Knight attacked Police Commissioner Leo Altobelli before the whole mess even started. They used a big rig with a turbine engine in it to attack him. Fortunately, he was saved by a passerby that happened to have a grappling hook in his car."

"Grappling hook? You're joking, right?"

"Negative. I'm being serious as a heart attack."

"Well, is the Commissioner all right now?"

"Affirmative. He saw Ms. McCoy off at the airport earlier. She had turned in her resignation. It became effective today."

"I hope she can find some inner peace."

"I hope so too, Kaname." Sousuke and Kaname both look into each others' eyes until they hear Sledge clear his throat.

"I hate to interrupt, but Mr. Kazama would like to resume his training."

"Understood. Kazama, time to resume!"

"Sir yes sir!" Shinji gives Kyoko a quick peck as Sledge and Dori start chuckling at the youths' antics. By the end of the day, Shinji is completely exhausted, having done all the obstacles he did earlier and arrived at the finish for the day with a C-4 blast on a rock.

"Atten-hut!" Shinji bolts to attention when Sousuke walks over to him. "Kazama, you did very well today. Take tomorrow to recover your strength. This is your schedule for training. You will be training every other day, to allow you to keep up with your schoolwork. Is that understood?"

"Sir yes sir!" Sousuke smiles and nods at Shinji's enthusiasm.

"Save it for the day after tomorrow. You'll need it to push through what I have in mind next. But, for now, fall out and head on home to get some rest."

"Roger that, sir!" Shinji snaps off a sharp salute and Sousuke returns it, a proud grin on his face. At that, Shinji and Kyoko begin walking together, off of the field, just as Principal Tsuboi arrives on the site. "Madam Principal?"

"Yes, Mr. Kazama. I take it Mr. Sagara's not being too hard on you, is he."

"Not really, ma'am. He wants me in class tomorrow to recover my strength."

"Very good. It's a good thing I approved of his training you. Matter of fact, that's why I came out here. To evaluate Mr. Sagara's proficiency for teaching Physical Education."

Shinji can only chuckle as he replies, "I'll put it to you like this, Madam Principal. If he wanted to, he'd blow all the other instructors out of the water. Maybe even some of the students if they can't handle it." Much to his surprise, Principal Tsuboi laughs in agreement as she bows, walks past him and pats him on the shoulder.

"As long as no one gets badly hurt, that's the main thing. Good day to you both."

"Hai." Kyoko and Shinji both bow before resuming their departure.

Meanwhile, Wakana is walking around the course before deciding to try it herself. "Sousuke, would it be all right for me to try it?"

"Affirmative. Start with that one first so I can evaluate your level." Suddenly, he senses Principal Tsuboi right behind him and turns around in time to bow. "Madam Principal, hello."

Principal Tsuboi bows as she smiles warmly at the youth before replying, "Hello, Mr. Sagara. How did his first day of training go?"

"He did rather well for someone with his diminished physique. He may exceed my expectations yet. Only time will tell, however."

"Very good. So, I see Officer Wakana wanted to try it out for herself. Thinking of opening a fitness business, perhaps? You'd make an excellent trainer or perhaps even a teacher." The woman catches Kaname's stifled giggle and smiles softly at her. "You have something in mind, Miss Chidori?"

"Yes, Madam Principal. I'm thinking he'd make an excellent Drill Instructor for the Military. It may be along those lines you're thinking about. But, to me, it's a different world." Mentally, she adds, 'One that I've been fully immersed in and enjoy, up to a point.'

"Ah, very good." Principal Tsuboi then turns her attention to Hammer and Doreau, asking, "Did you get what you were seeking?"

In Japanese, Hammer replies, "Yes ma'am." Every jaw drops down as Hammer goes on. "I took a little time to learn Japanese during our time here. Dori, thank you for describing what I said as a term of endearment for those that think like I do."

Curious, Kaname asks, "What's the term of endearment?"

"Whack-job." Much to Hammer's surprise, she starts giggling and turns it to a soft chuckle. "What is it?"

"That's what Sousuke was at first. But now, he's relatively safe to be around. Well, aside from his otaku habits, of course." Adding a soft wink at the end, she gets one right back from Sousuke, a proud grin on both their faces.

Luckily, Principal Tsuboi didn't catch the wink. The kindly elder woman then says, "In any case, there's a Captain Trunk here for you both. He yells a lot, especially in English."

"Yeah, that's Captain Trunk for you. Come on, Doreau. Time to go see what the pencil pusher wants." Dori shakes her head and silently chuckles as she follows her partner. "Hey, Sousuke?"

"Yes, Inspector?"

"How would you like to meet an American Police Captain?"

"I'd be honored, sir." Ten minutes later, Sousuke begins wondering if he made the right choice in accepting. For inside Principal Tsuboi's office is an African-American man, yelling his head off.

"Hammer! I told you and Doreau to come over here and escort your prisoner back to the States! Not hang around here, wanting to talk to a high school student! I can only hope he didn't pick up on your violent, narcissistic and sadistic personality!"

"Oh, no, no, no, Captain. He's like that already. Sousuke is an actual..." He gets a nudge in his ribs from Wakana, who's currently smiling like a shark.

"An actual what, Hammer?"

"An actual otaku, sir. Yes."

Captain Harold Trunk looks over at Sousuke and Kaname before smiling and laughing. "What kind of otaku is he supposed to be? Romance novels? Especially where the girl gets pregnant by the guy she's nuts about?"

"Negative, sir." To Trunk's surprise, along with Principal Tsuboi, he replied in English. "Military otaku, sir. I have vast knowledge of how to deal with military situations. From hand to hand combat all the way up to Arm Slave piloting."

"Well, now I've heard everything. Your English is quite good. Do I detect some Afghani in there as well?"

"Affirmative, sir. After my parents died, I ran with the rebels, trying to survive. As I grew up, I learned to fire all kinds of weaponry. Ultimately, I became a living weapon." Looking over at Kaname, he then adds, "When I first arrived here, I was very destructive. I had no idea how to live in a peaceful setting, as it was very rare for me, going from one hot spot to another. Over time, I got better and allowed my feelings to bloom."

"Oh, Sousuke." Kaname softly runs her fingers along Sousuke's scar and softly smiles. "Who'd have thought it? A fiery young maiden falling in love with a destructive force of nature. What are the odds of that happening?"

"Do you really want to know, Kaname? I can postulate for you later if you like."

"Sousuke!" Kaname blushes furiously amidst the chuckles. "We'll discuss that later at home." She then turns her attention to Captain Trunk and switches to English. "Why were they here to begin with, Captain?" Upon hearing his explanation, she sighs and chuckles, saying, "Well, at least no one got hurt this time around."

"Yes. Thankfully enough, no one got hurt. Hammer didn't get his hands on a nuclear warhead and destroy the world without intending to. I guess that was just a bad dream I had once. This man gives me quite a headache at times."

"Captain, I keep telling you it's all in your head."

"No, Hammer. It's happening for real!"

"Ah, well. Maybe this will help you." Next thing everyone knows, Trunk backs away from Hammer, a freaked expression on his face. "Captain, you won't even feel a thing. Trust me, I know what I'm doing."

"That's what has me so worried, Hammer." Reluctantly, Trunk asks, "What does it involve?" Two minutes later, Trunk is screaming in agony. His scream is heard across town. "HAMMER!" As Trunk runs away from the crazed Inspector, Hammer is chasing after him, holding a wooden sword.

"I told you, it takes five whacks on both arms, Captain. Come on back here so I can give you some more whacks on your arm. After all, it was only the first whack."

"No! No more, Hammer!"

Sousuke and Kaname watch with morbid fascination as they examine the scene before them. Trunk running and screaming, with Hammer running while carrying a wooden sword. Suddenly, without warning, Kaname snorts a giggle and lets out a minor gut-buster, calming herself down in time.

"Kaname?"

"Just a minorly amusing thought, Sousuke. I'll have to tell you about it at home, though."

"Ah. That amusing, eh?"

"Hmmm, as you would say my darling, affirmative." Suddenly, Kaname jolts forward upon feeling the baby kick. "Oh, that's going to be a strong one. Just like you are, Sousuke." Her eyes shining with unshed tears, she leans forward to kiss Sousuke, only to stop when Principal Tsuboi clears her throat.

"You can save it for when you both get home, Mr. Sagara and Miss Chidori. Or, perhaps I should just go ahead and call you both Mr. and Mrs. Sagara." Principal Tsuboi lightly chuckles upon seeing their dropped jaws and says, "That'll be all."

"Hai." The young couple bows, with Tsuboi returning the bow, and leave her office, both pondering married life. As they leave the school building and head for their van, they both see Hammer still chasing Trunk, with Doreau right behind them and laughing her head off.

"I better put a stop to this. I wouldn't want the Inspector to have to explain why he was carrying a wooden sword while chasing his Superior Officer." Sousuke reaches into his school jacket and brings out his Glock, firing it into the air. "Enough!" As Captain Trunk looks incredulously at Sousuke's audacity, he slips it back into his jacket.

Hammer drops the sword and smiles sheepishly as he shrugs. "Who'd have thought he'd have a gun?"

"Certainly not me, Hammer. He's much too young. In any case, we have a flight home to catch. So get your stuff together and let's go."

Dori then says, "Our stuff is still in our rooms, Captain. We decided if we didn't find him by today, we'd give up and return home. And you know just how Hammer doesn't like giving up."

"All too well, Doreau. All too well." At that, the trio walk toward the young couple and Trunk asks, "Any chance you can give us a lift to their hotels and then to the airport?"

Sousuke, after looking at Kaname and seeing her nod, nods right back and asks, "What're the names?"

"Hopefully, they're nowhere close together. I don't want a repeat of what had happened when Doreau got conked on the head and woke up as a female version of Hammer."

"Actually, sir." Trunk turns slowly toward Doreau as she says, "We got rooms right beside each other, so we could protect one another better. It was all Hammer's idea. It was really quite sound. I never could have slept any better or more peacefully in the past week."

Incredulously, Trunk asks, "You mean this destructive juggernaut makes you feel safe?"

"Oh yes. Quite safe. In fact, we even came across a thief. He demanded I hand over my jewelry, but Hammer convinced him otherwise." Dori smiles proudly as she recalls and tells them about it.

_(Last week)_

_After leaving the Station, having left their prisoner in the Station's cell, Hammer and Doreau went sightseeing without a guide. Next thing they knew, a young Japanese male with a butterfly knife demanded Doreau's property._

_Next thing the punk knew, Hammer brought out 'Gun' and said, "I know you can speak Japanese, Doreau. So could you please translate what I'm about to tell this scum-sucker?"_

"_Sure thing, Hammer."_

"_Great." Hammer then brought back 'Gun's hammer and said, "I want him to hit himself on his face." Upon the translation, the punk gave himself a light tap, convinced the gun is a fake. "Harder, Doreau, or I'll shoot him. I mean it." Once again, Doreau translated and the punk got a good look at 'Gun's cylinder, his eyes bugging out upon looking into Hammer's._

_Without any further ado, the punk punched himself in the jaw, very hard. "That's very good. Uh, hit yourself in the stomach. Does this seem familiar to you, Doreau?" Doreau nodded, trying to keep from laughing as she translated. Once the punk had hit himself in his stomach, Doreau looked over at Hammer._

"_Aren't you going to take him to the circus, Hammer?"_

"_Oh! Great idea, Doreau. Yeah. Tell him I'm still bored and we're taking him to the circus." Once Doreau had translated, the punk spoke quickly in Japanese. "What'd he just say, Doreau?"_

"_'There's no circus here, foolish Americans. The only thing that would fit the criteria is Fumo-Fumo Land'."_

"_Well, off to Fumo-Fumo Land then. I'm sure they'll have something that appeals to me."_

Trunk's jaw drops and hits the van's floor, as Doreau had been telling them about the encounter with the thief as they got into the van. "You mean instead of turning him over to the Police here, you took the poor guy to an amusement park?"

"That's right, Captain. And, there so happened to be a shooting gallery."

"I hope, for your sake, that he had survived what you had in mind, Hammer."

"Oh yeah. Here's what happened next." With that, Doreau resumes.

_Upon arrival at the park, Hammer found what he was looking for and, with Doreau acting as translator, managed to secure the gallery for his use. "Okay Doreau. Tell the sea urchin to get up against the wall and spread 'em." Upon her translation, the punk complied. In the background, the barker was calling attention to his gallery, which happened to have been suffering poorly._

"_Doreau, what's he saying?"_

"_He's saying, 'Come one, come all and witness American Sharpshooting at it's finest. Starting today and may go on for much longer'. I guess he thinks we're demonstrating."_

"_Well, let's not disappoint them, Doreau. Oh, you may want to tell them not to try this at home." Giggling slightly, Doreau nodded and translated, with the crowd laughing in return. When she nodded their readiness, Hammer then said, "All right, buddy. Let's give them a good showing." That prompted more laughter as Hammer aimed at the punk._

_His first shot hit the balloon at the punk's right hand and he screamed in return. "Oh, don't be such a baby! I barely missed you!" Once Doreau had translated what Hammer had said, the crowd roared with laughter, not knowing he wasn't acting. His next shot was tricky, especially with him holding 'Gun' over his shoulder and aiming at the punk with the aid of a pocket mirror. That one hit the balloon at the punk's left hand. The crowd cheered the skill of the shot while the punk came close to peeing his pants._

_Then the crowd saw what Hammer had in mind for his last shot. Turning back around, he had Doreau put a blindfold on him while he aimed 'Gun' at the punk. Standing with baited breaths, they and Doreau had watched the punk beg as Hammer swung 'Gun' in a massive arc. Just as the front sight came to rest just above his head, the punk sank to the ground, screaming, when the gun went off. The bullet burst the balloon just above his head and the crowd cheered._

_Sledge then removed his blindfold and scowled slightly at the sight."Huh. Just like with Kruegel. Guess I know why I've been missing. It's these blindfolds, Doreau." Looking over at the punk, he then saw that the guy had passed out from sheer fright. "I guess he'll think twice before stealing again, Doreau. Or even attempting for that matter."_

"_Something tells me you're right, Hammer." At that, the two Police Officers turned toward the crowd and Dori, in Japanese, said, "This is Inspector Sledge Hammer of the Bay City Police Department. I'm his partner, Detective Dori Doreau. What you have just seen was a demonstration of how firearms can be a wonderful source of entertainment, along with being very dangerous. Once again, please do not try this at home. My partner is an expert marksman with years of training." _

_At the crowd's applause, Hammer and Doreau both took their bows and walked away, only to turn around to see the man prop the punk back up against the wall and tie straps to his wrists. It seems some of the crowd wanted to try their luck with the pellet rifles at the gallery._

"All in all, Captain, it's serving as his Community Service."

"Oh sure, Hammer. A human target for pellet rifles, all due to your callous disregard and violent tendencies."

"Please stop, Captain. You're flattering me to no end." He then turns to Sousuke and asks, "You wanna try it out, kiddo?"

"I'll admit, my curiosity is truly peaked right now. Never shot anyone in a non-combat setting before. Very much, anyways." Hearing Kaname's soft chuckle, he grins and replies, "Very well. I'll give it a shot." At that, he turns the wheel and heads them toward Fumo-Fumo Land.

Upon arrival, they each buy a ticket and follow Hammer to the booth. When Sousuke and Kaname see who it is, their jaws drop. Tied to the wall is Saturo Shirai, covered in bruises and seemingly struggling to get free. When Shirai looks up, he screams angrily.

"Sagara! Get away from Miss Chidori, you loser freak!" Just as he's about to try unwrapping himself from the straps again, he catches sight of Hammer and Doreau, causing him to scream, "No, not you! Please! Anyone but you!"

Unable to stop a grin, Trunk asks, "What happened to him?"

Doreau quickly asks Shirai what had happened and he replies to her in Japanese. "It seems when people shot at him with the pellet guns, they'd either get his cheek or his privates when they'd shoot over their shoulders. With people spotting for them. He's pretty badly freaked over Sousuke and Kaname being together as well, along with Kaname being pregnant with Sousuke's child."

"I see. And the blindfold shots? Surely they tried those as well."

"I'll ask." Within seconds, she gives his answer. "He says they didn't try it. They didn't want to chance hurting him badly."

"Oh, well." Trunk then turns to Sousuke and asks, "Are you really that good, Mr. Sagara?"

"Affirmative, sir."

"Okay. Let's see what you've got. I've always wondered if there was another one like Hammer in the world. An excellent marksman, that is."

Intrigued, Kaname asks, "Hammer's just as good as Sousuke? This should be good to watch. How about a match of sorts?"

Curious, Trunk asks, "Are you proposing a competition? Between Hammer and Sousuke?"

"Uh-huh."

"Sure. Lowest score buys tonight's dinner. I guess we can stay for one more night. Come what may, this should be interesting." Next thing they know, the gallery's barker sees them and smiles.

"Oh, hello, hello. I've been hoping you'd return with your colleague, Ms. Doreau. You even brought company. Here to do another demonstration?"

To the barker's surprise, Hammer, in imperfect Japanese, replies, "Hai, we are. It's between Sousuke and myself here. Everyone else is just going to watch."

"Ah, I see you've elected to learn our language a bit. You've done slightly well, Inspector. Just a little more practice and you'll master it yet."

"I look forward to the challenge, sir." With that, Hammer turns to Sousuke and asks, "You ready, kiddo?"

"Affirmative, old timer." At that, Sousuke brings out his Glock while Hammer brings out 'Gun'. "Wheel gun, eh?"

"All I need at times are six shots. But, in a firefight, I usually use Uzis or grenades." He then grins and adds, "I hope you're already chambered there."

"Affirmative." With that said, Sousuke fires a shot from his hip and hits the balloon at Shirai's left thigh. Hammer sees a small red dot where the balloon was and smiles.

"Laser sight. Very nice, Sousuke. Where'd you get it from?"

"Beart, an arms dealer friend of mine. He can get you anything, for the right price."

"Hmm, like a mercenary of sorts. Right?"

"Well, he's had combat experience, so I guess you could say that, yeah." He then nods to Hammer and adds, "I believe you're next, sir."

"Oh, that's right. I am. I just don't know where my head is." Holding 'Gun' one-handed, he fires and hits the balloon right by Shirai's right thigh. "You're up, slugger."

"Roger." Sousuke turns himself around and points the Glock over his shoulder, asking, "Kaname, may I borrow your compact, please?"

"Coming right up, honey." Kaname brings out her compact and opens it, holding it eye level with Sousuke's eyes. "Just let me know when to turn it."

"Roger." Sousuke puts his eyes on the glass and orients his sights with it. "A little to the left, and down." As Kaname turns the compact, Sousuke along with the movement. "A hair to the right." With that turn, Sousuke nods and says, "It's a lock." At that, he fires again and hits the balloon right at Shirai's left hand.

Against the wall, Shirai can't help but feel utter dread as he watches the two men switch places. After his discharge from the JSDF, he found it very hard to get a job. Especially since he had gotten expelled from Jindai High. Ever since his expulsion, he blames Sousuke to no end. When he got out of the jail on the Base, he went right to Sousuke's apartment, hoping to see Kaname, but they were both gone. That was almost two months ago.

When he had asked the landlord where they were, he was only told they were out of town and would be so for a while. So, he went to his apartment and sulked. Then, last week, he decided to take up a life of crime. Only to have it interrupted by a man with a massive handgun and sadistic personality.

Snapping himself back to the present, he cringes when he sees Hammer aim over his shoulder with his mirror and fire. The bullet hits just above Shirai's left shoulder. 'Please, don't let either of them shoot blindfolded. Please, please, please. I don't want to die!' Much to his horror, he sees both Doreau and Kaname bring up blindfolds and the African-American man with them smiling nervously. 'If Sagara's next, I'm bound to die! I gotta get out of here!'

With that, Shirai, using the last ounce of his strength, breaks the strap on his right wrist before severing the other and running off. The crowd sees him running and boo at his cowardice, only to cheer when they see Sousuke and Hammer running after him. Back at the booth, Trunk turns to Doreau and Kaname and sees them shrug.

"Just what is that guy's deal anyway, Miss Chidori?" When she gets done telling him, he chuckles ruefully and says, "Some people just can't take a hint at all, it seems."

"Apparently not, Captain Trunk. It certainly took a while for us to learn our feelings for each other. Sousuke even longer. That poor guy's been through so darn much, it's not even funny."

"I can relate, Miss Chidori. I can certainly relate."

Meanwhile, Sousuke and Hammer are still chasing after Shirai until they come across a situation that neither men wanted. "Stay back, or I'll kill her!" In Shirai's elbow is the head of an elderly woman. One that is painfully familiar to Sousuke.

"Let her go, maggot! She's got nothing to do with this!"

"That's not entirely accurate, Inspector Hammer." At Sousuke's quiet tone, Hammer turns his head Sousuke's way and kirks an eyebrow. "She's my Grandmother. Just found out about her last week."

"You're still going on about that, I see. My grandson was kind and gentle. You're a barbarian."

"Negative, Grandmother. I did what I had to in order to survive."

"Then why didn't you call me more often?"

"I didn't exactly have access to phones in Afghanistan, Grandmother." He then aims his Glock at Shirai's head, setting the small red dot right between his eyes. "One more chance before I perform brain surgery on you, Shirai. Let the woman go. Now!" Hearing 'Gun's hammer being pulled back, he grins and adds, "Or I'll let Inspector Hammer try his hand at it. Only this time he will not be blindfolded."

"You're bluffing!" Much as he doesn't want to admit it, Shirai is finding that Sousuke is not one to bluff. At all. But he's wanting to hold out hope that he is bluffing at the moment. "I can tell on your face that it's a bluff, Sagara."

"If my face says it's a bluff, then it's a bluff of a bluff." In his years of combat, Sousuke didn't think he'd come across such harrowing situations. Especially where the stakes would be very personal. "Now, let the woman go!"

Hammer gets an idea and rolls with it. "Buddy, I hate to say this, but this punk may be a little too much. Guess we'll just have to shoot the hostage. A clean enough wound, it'll go through her shoulder and nail him in the chest." Looking Sousuke's way, he gives him a wink and adds, "Trust me. I know what I'm doing."

Winking right back, Sousuke replies, "Go for it. It's the final round anyway." Just as Hammer gets the magnum trained on Kimiko's shoulder, Sousuke leaps onto Hammer's shoulder and jumps off, heading his foot toward Shirai's face.

Just as Shirai sees Sousuke's foot coming at him, he thinks, 'Oh boy, this is really gonna hurt.' That's the last conscious thought he has as Sousuke's shoe makes contact with his face.

As Shirai falls to the ground, Kimiko sees Hammer bring his gun back up from her shoulder and sighs in relief. She then turns around and sees Sousuke standing over an unconscious Shirai. "Are you all right, ma'am?" Kimiko blinks at Sousuke's soft tone and feels a tear come out of her eye.

"Yes, I am. Was it something you learned out there in the world, dearie?"

"Affirmative. I even taught Kaname a thing or two about self protection. Luke was very surprised when he found out I was still alive. I didn't even know about him until I went to the States."

"I, I have a grandson named Luke. Or at least he's like a grandson to me. Oh, he would play with you..." Suddenly, her eyes bolt open as she asks, "Can I touch your face again, dearie? Please."

"Of course, ma'am." Unsure where this is going, Sousuke heads for Kimiko and submits his face to her.

"The Sousuke I knew had the cutest dimple. Right around here." Her hand presses softly into Sousuke's scar and she gasps. "It is you! Oh, my grandbaby!" She then wraps Sousuke into her arms, crying.

That's the scene when Kaname and the others catch up with Hammer and Sousuke. An unconscious Shirai, a grinning Hammer and a sweating Sousuke in the arms of a weeping Kimiko Fujisaka.

"Umm, Sousuke?"

"Yes, Kaname?"

"Why is your Grandmother weeping against your chest?"

"She just took a major emotional hit, Kaname. It seems the both of us have some explaining to do." Looking toward Trunk, he adds, "Preferably tomorrow, in our apartment, honey."

"Why not now, Mr. Sagara?" Trunk's blood pressure is increasing, along with the volume of his voice. "This whole thing has me very, very curious."

"Better make room at the table then, Sousuke. We'd better brief him at the apartment."

"Agreed. Come on, Grandmother. You're long overdue for my life story."

Kimiko looks softly up into Sousuke's gaze and nods, smiling. "Yes. I'd like to hear that very much, dearie." Trunk nods in agreement, only to stop when he sees Hammer and Doreau casually walk away.

"Where are you two going?"

"Oh, well actually, sir, we already heard his life story. So, we're just going to see about dating for a time and see where it goes." Hammer shrugs and adds, "What can possibly happen?"

"I don't want to picture it, Hammer. Doreau, can I trust you to keep this juggernaut of destruction out of trouble?"

"Of course, Captain Trunk. After all, just like Hammer, I know what I'm doing."

That night, as Hammer and Doreau go out on their first official date, Captain Trunk and Kimiko Fujisaka are entering Sousuke and Kaname's apartment. What they see surprises them. Light blue walls with bullet holes in a pattern consistent with rapid gunfire. When Trunk touches one of the holes though, he finds the wall is still solid.

"This kid's going to be interesting for sure. I just hope Hammer and Doreau didn't find out about this."

"Negative. I didn't see Inspector Hammer again until this morning, Captain Trunk."

"I see. Were you responsible for the interesting nursery, as well?"

"Affirmative. I had wanted to put AS pictures on the walls, but Kaname didn't think it'd be a good idea for our son to become an Arm Slave junkie so soon. So, this was the next best thing."

"I see. What about the bullet holes, though? They looked so real, I was surprised that the wall was still solid."

"Those were done with a small paintbrush, Captain. Very much like what artists use by today's standards."

Trunk can't help but laugh softly as he says, "Today's standards. My boy, you sure talk strangely. Does your Fiancee know about that habit of yours?"

"Affirmative. She has ever since I first arrived in her world."

Kimiko then asks, "Just where have you been all this time, dearie?"

"Let's see. Afghanistan, Cambodia, Iraq, Lebanon and Shanghai."

Trunk scratches his chin and says, "You mentioned a popular tourism site, I can see the reasoning. But why the others? They're hot spots. Just what is it that you do?"

"You both may want to have a seat. By the time I'm done explaining, you will not want to be standing." Taking him at his word, Trunk and Kimiko both have a seat as Kaname brings out four bowls with Ramen noodles. As they eat, Sousuke lays it all out. Kimiko is enthralled by his story. Trunk, on the other hand...

"I think I'm going to be sick. A teenage mercenary, posing as a high school student, only to become one for real later down the road. After helping keep his protection assignment safe as much as possible, he's assigned to you full time?"

"That's correct, Captain Trunk. Sousuke's been more than a mere protector. In essence, he is my Life Insurance Agent and Policy. Of course, in pursuit of his duties, he tends to get a little carried away."

"Does he ever shoot soda machines when they don't function? Does he use a rocket launcher to kill a sniper? Does he take the violent stance when it comes to handling terrorists?"

"On those first two, not that I know of. Although, I can see him doing the second. Terrorists? Oh yes, definitely. After all, no negotiations with terrorists is the international standard. Besides, when it comes down to it, you don't really have to be nice to terrorists. If they're not nice, they're not worth being nice to."

Kimiko then asks, "Do you worry about him? Especially when he goes out into the field? Along with before you both got together?"

"Yes, to all three, Mrs. Fujisaka. After all, he may be my protector, but he's also a soldier. He goes wherever he has to, kill whoever he has to in order to survive and come back home. When I first found out about Mithril as he was driving us away from that mad scientist wanna-be, I was in disbelief. But, when I saw him defeat the Savages that came after us with a Savage, I started to believe." Smiling softly, she takes Sousuke's hand into hers and strokes it, her eyes glistening with proud tears.

"I had no way of knowing just how profoundly he'd change my life. Or disrupt it without even intending to. He's been so strong to face all that he's faced in his past. When we realized our feelings for each other, he accepted that aspect, thinking it would be good experience for him. In a way, it's good it turned out the way it did. Although, I could have done without the morning sickness at first. But, when it passed, I started feeling proud to be carrying my maniac's little boy."

"Maniac? Are you saying he's insane?"

"Oh. No, no, Captain. Not at all." Kaname lets out a light giggle as she pecks Sousuke cheek and picks up his bowl, putting it with hers. "You gotta understand that before I even knew about Sousuke's true purpose at the school, I thought he was just a Military buff. In order to keep appearances, I'd refer to him as a melancholy Military maniac. After all the fighting he did in those spots, he's deserved a good-sized amount of peace. He just doesn't feel he's ready for it yet."

Curious, Trunk asks, "When will he be ready?"

"Other than our son being born and terrorists giving up their foolish and illegal war, he'll be waiting and working toward it. Failing that, the day he's truly ready for peace better be when he's old and grey, with me right at his side. After all, I'd like very much to meet his parents. Just like I'm sure he'd like to meet my Mother."

"Indeed I would, my sweet, lovely Kaname."

"Oh, you goofball. Stop, please. You're making me blush." To her surprise, Sousuke puts his lips to her belly and she can't help but rub his neck.

"You're so beautiful, Kaname. I love you and our son."

Kimiko smiles happily while Trunk tries suppressing his laughter, only for it to look like he's about to vomit. "Oh, not in here, please Captain Trunk."

"Mrs. Fujisaka?"

"Would would my grandson say if you were to vomit on his carpet?"

"Actually, that carpet is mine. Sousuke brought it over from my old apartment when I moved in with him. So far, it's given us good practice for when we're finally married. The real fun will begin when Sousuke Jr is born."

"You already decided on a name? Well, that little guy's going to have some big shoes to fill. I just hope he doesn't go through the same things his Father had to."

"I feel the same way, Captain Trunk. I hope for the same thing. If anything happened to Sousuke, I don't know if I'd want to go on." Pausing to stroke her belly, Kaname does so, adding, "Right now, Sousuke being here with me and this little guy is enough to give me strength. Of course, this little guy has a kick like a mule." Suddenly, she feels the baby kick.

Grinning, she says, "Mrs. Fujisaka, I think you'd want to feel your great-grandson kick."

"Oh, very much so." Once Kimiko has her hand on Kaname's belly, she feels a pelt against her hand. "Oh, he's just like his Daddy when Keiko was about to have him. A kick like a mule."

"What was she like, Grandmother?" Kimiko turns to look at her grandson and sees something she hadn't seen before. Anguish, mixed with sorrow. "I have so few memories of both my parents."

"How did you keep from falling apart completely, Sousuke? That had to have been harrowing on you." Trunk didn't ask out of curiosity, but concern. For he had seen quite a few young boys die in his time in the Military, most of them Sousuke's apparent age.

"Duty and the will to survive, sir." With a single tear emerging from his right grey eye, he adds, "It certainly was, sir. But, I got strong and took up arms for vengeance. Then, I became a mercenary for Mithril." Looking toward Kaname, he smiles softly and strokes her belly. "It's only gotten better since we fell in love with each other."

Kimiko smiles softly as she replies, "She was the sweetest girl. Athletic, pretty and popular. Everything that Fumiko wasn't. In fact, I don't even know why she took up with him. Sure, he was book-smart, but she loved him so much. Just like he loved her. I just wish I realized it before-hand." Looking at Sousuke, she lightly chuckles and adds, "In some ways, you look like him, Sousuke. You have your Mother's eyes and your Father's heart."

"What was Sousuke's Father like? Was he at least good to Keiko and Sousuke?"

"Oh yes. He never raised a hand to either of them. Especially if Sousuke had an 'accident' or two on the carpet in the living room. He was kind, devoted and caring. After our little 'confrontation', I went home and got out our smallest album. The pictures inside are of you with your parents, Sousuke." With that, Kimiko reaches into her handbag and brings out a small book marked 'Sousuke's Memories'.

Squealing joyfully, Kaname looks over at Sousuke and snickers. "I finally get to see what you looked like as a baby, Sousuke." Stroking her belly, she adds, "For that matter, I find it hard to believe you were a baby, you sexy war machine." Upon seeing Sousuke's fire engine-red blush, Kaname gives him a soft peck on his cheek as she accepts the book. When she opens it, she sees a young woman with brown hair and grey eyes holding an infant.

"That first one is Keiko holding Sousuke. She was so delighted when she found out about him. She even called him her 'favorite accident'."

"You mean he wasn't planned on?"

"That's right. When he found out, Fumiko felt he should step up and help take care of the baby. Keiko accepted wholeheartedly, knowing his sense of honor was motivating him. Of course, that's what it was at first. Over time though, he started enjoying being a parent."

Trunk has been watching the entire exchange and can't help but feel like an outsider. "I really should get going. With Hammer out there, Tokyo could face more danger than with Godzilla."

Kaname waves it off and replies, "Nah, I wouldn't worry about it. I'm pretty sure Detective Doreau can keep him under control." In the background, a flaming explosion occurs and sirens are heard seconds later. "Then again..." Sousuke turns on the news and all inside see Hammer and Doreau, both badly singed, standing with a reporter.

"_I'm standing here with American Police Inspector Sledge Hammer and his partner, Detective Dori Doreau, where, just moments ago, a massive explosion with flames had just occurred. Inspector, can you please tell us what happened?"_

"_Yes. My partner and I were on a date when five scum-sucking maggots came out and demanded our wallets. They didn't figure on me having a white-phosphorous grenade or even using it. In fact, I think they felt we'd be easy marks for them, seeing that there were only two of us. Dori here kicked one of them in his balls and I tossed the grenade at them. When it started smoking, the sea-urchin that was leading them dropped it and it rolled toward a propane tank. That's what had caused the explosion."_

"_Detective, do you have anything to add?"_

"_Not at this time. Right now, we just want to get cleaned up and finish our date on a positive note. While Sledge's response may have been unwarranted, I believe those five will learn a valuable lesson not to mess with two people on a date."_

"_Thank you Inspector, Detective. There you have it. Five youths, barbarically harmed just for trying to rob two people on a date."_

With that, Sousuke turns off the television and looks over at Captain Trunk. "Captain Trunk, it might be a good idea for you and your colleagues to leave Japan tomorrow morning. Especially if those five are in a gang."

"I agree, Sousuke. So, anything else in there, Kaname?"

"Oh yes." Kaname giggles as she shows Trunk the picture. It shows a three-year old Sousuke with a scruffy hairdo. "I guess his hairstyle's going to be consistent." Trunk chuckles in agreement as he compares the picture to present-day Sousuke and then smiles.

"Oh yes. If it's any consolation, at least this guy will be reliable for you."

"I know. And it is a big consolation for me. After all, he'd missed out on so much, it's not even funny."

"Whoa!" Trunk's eyes bulge out as he sees the next picture. A beaming Fumiko teaching a grinning five-year old Sousuke to ride a bicycle. "Is Sousuke planning to teach Sousuke Jr anything?"

"Oh yes. Quite a few things." Kaname smiles softly as she lovingly gazes over at Sousuke and strokes his fingers.

Trunk shudders as he says, "Oh boy. I can just imagine what those things are. From 'Terrorist Negotiations' all the way to 'Arm Slave Piloting'. Am I right so far?"

Kaname nods as she then strokes her belly, smiling maternally. "Yeah, pretty much. Of course, 'Negotiating' should be a cakewalk for him. All he has to do is blow a terrorist's brain matter out."

The next morning, Trunk, Hammer and Doreau are at Narita Airport, waiting to be processed out. With them is Wakana, who had been assigned to ensure Hammer and Doreau got onto their flight. As much as the Tokyo Police Force wanted to arrest Hammer for the grenade, the five youths had caused far more trouble. In fact, before the incident, they had caused twelve people to get badly hurt.

Smiling slightly, Doreau turns to Hammer and says, "Well, we're about to go home, Hammer. Any regrets?"

"Yeah. Didn't get to see Nagasaki or Hiroshima. Been kinda curious to see what the craters looked like from those nukes."

"It's a good thing too, Hammer." They both turn and see Trunk smiling. "Because if you had, you probably would have wanted to move to either place." His head then kinks to the side in thought and he adds, "Probably some other time, Hammer. For when you retire."

"I don't think I'll ever retire, Captain. Too many scum-suckers out there and only one of me. Even with his resources, Sousuke'll need far more to handle them." Suddenly, he feels Doreau's hand on his shoulder and he doesn't react in the way she expects. Once she's flipped over his shoulder, he smiles sheepishly and adds, "Sorry, Doreau. Reflex action."

"At least your reflexes are all right, Sledge. Um, could you help me up, please?"

"Oh, sure. Here." Reaching down, he quickly hoists Doreau up and into his arms, giving her a quick peck on her lips.

"Hey guys." They all turn around and see Kaname and Sousuke, both watching the time so they won't be late. "Sousuke felt we should see you guys off before heading to school. But, we're pressed for time as it is. Especially since that fire's still going on and pushing back traffic." Kaname turns to Hammer, smirks and says, "You are so much like Sousuke, it's ridiculous. But, you also have a good heart. Just like Sousuke does."

"Yeah. In fact, I always wondered what would happen if Hammer were to have children of his own. Whether or not they'd turn out like he is or not. Luckily, that hasn't happened, yet. But, it looks like there's a new 'Hammer' here. Therefore, I have a nickname for you, Sousuke."

Having a feeling of where this is going, Kaname asks, "What's that, Captain Trunk?"

"Sousuke 'Sledge Hammer' Sagara." Doreau begins giggling softly as she pecks Hammer on his cheek, as does Kaname when she pecks Sousuke on his cheek. "I'd say it's fitting for him, in fact. After all, someone's gotta catch the scum-suckers."

"Oh, thinking of, Captain, I've written a book of sorts. I think it'd do Sousuke a world of good."

Sighing, Trunk says, "Let's see it, Hammer." Once Hammer puts the book into Trunk's hands, he reads the title and guffaws. "Fitting name, Hammer. 'The Gospel According to Sledge'. Let's see what it says in here." In seconds, he's laughing his head off, saying, "That's the kind of thing you'd write all right, Hammer. All your sayings and your vocabulary, all in here."

He then hands the book to Sousuke and whispers, "Don't use this much. You'll become just like him."

"Roger." Sousuke steps back and salutes, saying, "Have a safe flight home, Captain. You and your associates."

Trunk salutes back and replies, "We certainly hope to. Take good care of that baby, son. You're one heck of a soldier. Now, you're about to face your biggest challenge. Parenthood."

"Roger, sir. We both will." With that, Sousuke and Kaname both wave as Trunk, Hammer and Doreau board their flight and walk out of the airport. "Well, shall we find out our scores, Kaname?"

"Oh yes. I'd love to see how you did last week, my darling Sousuke."

"And I you, Kaname." When the couple reaches their van, Sousuke does a quick check and says, "All clear."

"Still find her story strange, Sousuke?"

"Affirmative, Kaname. Then again, it's probably just me."

"It's not your fault, Sousuke. After all, like you said, I'm 'Whispered', a target. You're responsible for my protection. If I didn't have you nearby, I'd be a goner already." She then pecks Sousuke on his cheek and adds, "You're my protector, friend and dream guy. What more can a girl ask for in a guy she's marrying?"

"Not sure off-hand. I guess skilled marksman is out, along with demolitions expert."

"Not in your case, sweetie." Kaname giggles as she reaches over to Sousuke's crotch and puts her slender fingers around it. "If we weren't on the road right now, I'd be doing something really steamy." Seeing Sousuke's blush, she giggles as she gives him a gentle rub and sits back to enjoy the drive.

Ten minutes later, they arrive at Jindai High and go inside. Once inside Miss Kagurazaka's classroom, they find out their scores.

"Never, in my time of being an educator, did I come across a student that was so out to lunch when he first arrived. Only for said student to adapt to his surroundings slowly and painfully. Especially for the surroundings." At that, the classroom erupts into laughter, for they know who she's talking about.

"Mix in one young woman that saw what was within him and tamed him. We have a dual score, everyone. Mr. Sagara, Miss Chidori, congratulations. You both received 100 on your tests. Good work to the both of you." Smiling proudly, she silently snickers when she sees Kaname lean over and peck Sousuke on his cheek.

During lunchtime, Sousuke's getting lunch for both of them when he sees Tsubaki coming toward him. "What's going on, Tsubaki?"

"Oh, not much. Just wanted to see if you found out it'd be a little boy or not, Sagara."

"Haven't you ever heard this expression before, Tsubaki? 'Keep the faith, yet mind your own business'. It'd do you well to remember that." When his turn comes up, he gets up to the counter and places his order. "Custard pastry and a plain roll, please."

"Here you go, young-un. That'll be 280 yen."

"Thank you kindly, ma'am." Just as he starts walking away, he feels a hand on his shoulder. "What did I just say, Tsubaki?"

"It's not Tsubaki, Mr. Sagara. It's Seijo." Sousuke turns around and sees a cowed Seijo in front of him. "My Father had been advised as to what I'd been doing. So, he's sending me to Military school. He thinks it'll shape me up. I was wondering if you can give me any pointers."

"Affirmative. Do what you're told when you're told. If an upperclassman gets into your face, it's all part of it. That is their job. To break you down in order to rebuild you. That is all." With that, Sousuke walks away from the humiliated bully, a slight smirk on his face. 'Good luck to you. I don't think you'd last five minutes, though.'

When he sees Kaname sitting with Mizuki, Maya and Kyoko, he lightly chuckles as he gets closer to her. "Got your craving, Kaname."

"Oh, thank you, honey." At that, Kaname unwraps both items, smashes them both together and takes a bite. "Hmm, could use a little chocolate syrup for next time."

"Roger. Duly noted."

"Thanks sweetie."

"It's not a problem." He then sits down and looks over at Kaname's content face. "You really want to be sure, Kaname?"

"I do, Sousuke."

"All right. I'll set up an appointment for next month to have an ultrasound done. It'll be the best way to find out what gender the baby is."

Kaname smiles at that and replies, "Be it a little boy or girl, we'll love it just as much. Because it came from us and our love."

Sousuke nods and says, "Affirmative."

Author's Notes: Another long chapter, eh? 54 pages long! Sousuke Sagara, meeting Sledge Hammer? Don't see that very often. Only two more chapters to go. Maybe I'll do an epilogue for the grand finale. Don't really know yet. So, on that note, I hope you enjoyed it and please don't drive with a rabid wolverine in your underwear. Seriously!


	6. Appointments and Baby Shopping Month 8

Seven Months p 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Panic! Wish I did though.

Appointments and Baby Shopping: Month 8

It's six am and Kaname's in a rush. "Come on, Sousuke, or we'll be late!"

"Roger!"

Sousuke and Kaname race out of their apartment, with Sousuke racing ahead to start their van up while Kaname steadily walks to the van, being mindful of her eight-month belly. They had secured a ground floor apartment to aid with Kaname's delicate condition while Sousuke finishes working on the nursery area.

However, given his lack of experience with children, he's improvising as he goes along. After all, there weren't really a lot of children in the rebel camps while he was in Afghanistan. Of course, it meets with Kaname's approval that he's making an attempt of sorts to overcome his 'shortcomings' and childhood trauma.

Once Sousuke gets Kaname into the van, he secures the doors and his seatbelt, checking his watch. "All right. We picked up three minutes from last time we drilled, Kaname. Let's see how we do on the drive to the Hospital."

"Okay, Sousuke. Let's roll."

"Roger." At that, their van surges forward and Sousuke holds the wheel, grinning like a madman. "You may find this hard to believe, but I'm really a wonderful driver." Kaname gets a look at the speedometer and sees he's at 60 miles per hour.

"Yeah, a wonderful Arm Slave driver! Sousuke!" Right in front of them is a bus that's stopped at the side of the road. The same side that they're on. "Sousuke, this drill will be a failure if we all die, Lieutenant Lunacy!"

"It's not a problem." Deftly, he turns the wheel to the right, avoiding a rear-end collision. "That was a close shave."

"A little too close, you lunatic. Who taught you to drive? Richard Petty?"

"How'd you guess?" To his relief, Kaname starts giggling at his joke and he starts chuckling as well, lightening up on the gas. "Sorry about that, sweetie. But that daffy dopey just stopped, with no notice at all."

"Yeah. Some people these days just can't drive for manure."

"That's affirmative. That guy was a real pelican." Next thing they know, they hear a siren behind them. "Now what?" Seeing a Police car in his rear-view mirror, he pulls to the side of the road and waits for the Officer. Much to his surprise, it's Officer Wakana. "Hello, Officer Wakana."

"Why hello, Lt. Sagara. Is it time already?"

"Negative, Officer. Just doing a readiness drill for when Kaname goes into labor."

"I see. Just like last week?"

"Affirmative."

"How was your time that time?"

"Ten minutes."

Wakana whistles and says, "That's pretty fast. How about this time?"

"Well, we were looking at eight minutes, but, since this happened, we could be a while."

Wakana sheepishly grins and says, "Sorry about that. But, when you went around that bus, you nearly hit me. I didn't even know it was you driving until I saw you. I even thought the van looked familiar from three weeks back."

Kaname taps her chin thoughtfully before snapping her fingers. "Oh yeah. When we got the visitors from Bay City. How was the obstacle course, Officer?"

Wakana smiles at Kaname before replying, "It was tough, but not too bad. Sousuke certainly did a good job on that Kazama kid." Kaname nods in agreement as she strokes Sousuke's thigh. "Keep practicing and I'll see you guys later." With that, Wakana leaves the two teens be and they resume their drive.

"There's always tomorrow, Sousuke."

"Roger. Well, shall we head to our appointment, Kaname?"

"Affirmative. I'd love to see Tsubaki blush from seeing our little boy."

Sousuke chuckles in reply as he gently rubs Kaname's belly. "Just a little bit longer to go, honey."

"I know. It's so exciting, Sousuke."

"That's affirmative." Kaname giggles again as she strokes her belly and sighs. "A nuclear warhead for your thoughts, Kaname."

"Just thinking, Sousuke. You've gotten the wall painted for the nursery zone, yet we don't have any furniture yet. Are we going to put our baby on a cot?"

"Negative. After the ultrasound and school, we'll go to the store and see about some baby furniture. It won't be a problem."

"I sure hope so, Sousuke. It's really too bad we're not in Middleton right now. That baby store had some really nice furniture."

"Hmm, perhaps I can make a call to Ron and Kim. They have the most experience when it comes to raising children. Along with obtaining baby furniture."

"That sounds like a good plan. Hopefully, they're not out on another Team Hawk mission. If they are, we'll probably wind up going up on 'Parenthood Creek' without a paddle."

"How about your Father then, Kaname? As a back-up plan. I'm sure he'd have some insight." Sneaking a glance at Kaname, he adds, "He did a good job with you. Especially with the circumstances he had to deal with."

Kaname nods proudly as she says, "Yep. He certainly did. Just like Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin did with you. Well, as much as possible anyway." They both share a light chuckle of levity as they approach their destination. Within minutes, they reach Tokyo General Hospital. In time for their appointment.

Kaname gives a sharp breath as she says, "I think I better use a wheelchair to get around from now on, Sousuke."

"Roger." At that, Sousuke gently pecks Kaname's lips and grins. With an Austrian accent, he adds, "I'll be back."

"Okay, Terminator." Kaname giggles as she gives him a massive Frencher and he leaves the van. While he's going to the wheelchairs, Kaname softly strokes her belly, humming a lullaby she had remembered from her Mom. Next thing she knows, she hears a light tapping at the window and sees a grinning Sousuke.

"Your wheelchair, dear. The Hospital staff said we could use it for as long as we need to."

"Thanks, love." Once Sousuke has helped Kaname into the wheelchair, she pecks the underside of his chin and grins. "Let's go see what our son's outline looks like."

"Roger." At that, Sousuke pushes a wheelchair-bound Kaname in through the Hospital's doorway and heads for the information area. "Okay. Maternity Ward is on the 3rd floor. Elevator time." Five minutes later, they're in the Obstetrician's Office, where they check in with the receptionist.

Kaname smiles up at the receptionist and says, "We're here to see Dr. Tanaka."

The receptionist winces as she replies, "I'm sorry, but Dr. Tanaka is out for a symposium on Gynecology and Obstetrics. She'll be out for at least two more days. We have another Doctor in, but I'm not sure you'd want to see her."

"Why's that? Is she a bad Doctor?" The receptionist looks over at Kaname and shakes her head no. "Then what's the problem?"

"She's Chinese." That causes Sousuke and Kaname to burst out chuckling lightly.

"So? My Fiance's elder foster sister is of Chinese descent." Sousuke nods in agreement as he kisses the top of Kaname's head. "So it's gotta be something more about her."

"Actually, she's not a bad person. She's nutty, but very nice."

"Okay, we'll see her." Kaname thinks, 'Who knows? Dr. Ching might not be as bad or nutty as she thinks.'

"Names?"

"Kaname Chidori and Sousuke Sagara."

"Ah yes. You're right in the book too. Okay. You're here for an ultrasound. I'll let her know." Turning her attention to the phone, she presses the intercom and says, "Dr. Ching, there's a young couple here to see you about an ultrasound."

They both hear a soft and shy voice reply, _"Send them in, please."_

"You may go in now." With that, the receptionist bows and Sousuke returns it while Kaname rolls the wheelchair toward the office door.

As Kaname goes in, Sousuke is right behind her, ever-vigilant for trouble to appear. As they get to the office's door, they hear a distressed voice speaking rapidly in Chinese. The distress shortly turns to anger and then rage as the Doctor slams the receiver repeatedly against the floor. As Sousuke reaches into his jacket to bring out his Glock, Kaname stops him, shaking her head.

"Not in here, Sousuke. It's a safe place."

"All right. But, if there's any danger, I will react."

"Agreed. Well, let's meet the new Doctor."

"Roger." With that, Sousuke opens the door and they both see a slender young woman putting a badly-damaged receiver down onto the phone's body. "Uh..."

The young woman looks up and smiles, saying, "Hello. I'm Gracie Ching. You are?"

"I'm Sousuke Sagara and this is Kaname Chidori. We're here for an ultrasound to be done on Kaname. She wants to find out the gender of the baby in question."

Dr. Ching smiles and asks, "Are you the Father?"

"Affirmative."

"Oh. It's so wonderful when a Father becomes involved with the care of his child. Along with the Mother. I see he takes very good care of you, Miss Chidori."

"Indeed he does. More than anyone could possibly imagine." Kaname slyly slips her hand into Sousuke's and smiles softly. "Without him, I'd be a goner."

"I'm the same way with Kaname."

"Have you known each other long?"

Kaname blushes as she replies, "Going on about two years. Maybe three. It only seems like yesterday that we learned about how we felt for each other."

"How long ago was that?"

"Eight months." Sousuke's blunt answer shocks Dr. Ching. Right down to the core. "Of course, we were dancing around our feelings quite a bit before we even acknowledged them." Kaname nods in agreement as she lovingly strokes Sousuke's hand. "Ever since we first met, there was something drawing us closer together. Daily."

"I see. A whirlwind romance, more or less. Right?"

Kaname nods and replies, "Uh-huh. Of course, there'd be the things he'd do that'll drive me up the wall with his graceful antics. Locker detonations, weapons usage. Just about anything to get his jollies. But, that's why I love him so much. He's not afraid to express himself in a violent manner. Because that's the only way he actually could."

Kinking his head to the side, Sousuke asks, "Just how proficient are you?"

"I was very good with obstructions."

"Obstructions?"

"Um, maybe I mean abstractions."

"Isn't that supposed to be Obstetrics?"

"Oh, right. So it is. Silly me." Gracie giggles nonsensically, prompting Sousuke and Kaname to look at each other.

The teens both think, 'I think we're dealing with a bozo.'

Gracie snaps them out of it, saying, "Very well, then. Ready to take a peek inside your belly?" At Kaname's eager nod and Sousuke's stony look, she shrugs and leads the young couple to the ultrasound. "I'd better adjust the bed for it first. Just a moment." With that, she gets her hands on the controls and the bed for the ultrasound starts moving wildly.

Sousuke and Kaname can only stare in abject horror as the bed's back flops forward and back repeatedly, while the leg area for the bed flips up and down before Dr. Ching gets it back under control.

"There. It's adjusted." She then giggles as she pats the bed and says, "Up you go."

Very quietly, Sousuke says, "Wheel for it." Kaname nods and does so, while Sousuke brings up a smoke grenade and pulls the pin, triggering a cloud of smoke. A minute later, he rejoins Kaname and hurriedly pushes her out of the area.

"That lunatic is not delivering me, Sousuke. I'd rather have Tessa do it. She may be clumsy on land, but at least I can trust her. Or Dr Goldberry, since she was the one that worked the equipment that told me. Maybe even Melissa or that pervert Kurz if I have to. But I'm not letting that nut-case anywhere near our baby."

Once they reach the elevator, Sousuke jabs the button with his left index finger and Kaname sighs in relief as the door closes. "I wish Dr. Tanaka was in town still. The timing for that symposium really stunk."

"Me too, Kaname. She may be a civilian Doctor, but she is competent at least. This other Doctor seems to be about fifteen bullets shy of a full AK-47 banana magazine. If not about twenty." Much to his relief, Kaname giggles in agreement as the elevator reaches the ground floor.

"She sure seems to be." When the door opens, they see Dr. Ching, wearing a scowl on her face. 'How'd she get down here so quickly?'

"Your appointment is not complete yet, Miss Chidori and Mr. Sagara."

"Dr. Ching, be it as it may, we tend to be a little wary of mishaps involving Medical equipment. Like, for instance, a malfunctioning bed that bucks wildly without notice at all. What assurances can you give us that it won't happen with Kaname in there? If we were to proceed and it happened again, there's a strong chance that Kaname could lose the child."

He brings his combat knife out of his sleeve and adds, "That likelihood is unacceptable. We'll try again, but after school. Hopefully, by that time, you'll have learned the proper way to operate the bed and equipment associated with it."

Nervous from the sight of Sousuke's blade, Dr. Ching mutely nods and bows, with Sousuke returning the bow. He then returns the blade to the confines of his sleeve and begins wheeling Kaname out. As Sousuke wheels Kaname out the door, Dr. Ching shudders before she faints.

As they near the van, Kaname says, "Subtle, Sousuke. Very subtle."

"Affirmative." His tone sounds rather disheartened to the young beauty and she looks up at him.

"You okay, Sousuke? You sounded kinda sad with that tone."

Sousuke shrugs and replies, "I'm used to operations going badly on the battlefield. Especially where 'Murphy's Laws of Combat' come into play. Off the battlefield, though, that's another story."

Kaname snorts at that and giggles, saying, "I can relate, Sousuke. I can really relate to you on that. Just like that one time you destroyed a bust I made for art class when you mistook it for a terrorist. What was that one law about assault plans?"

"It goes something like this, Kaname. 'An assault plan will not last more than the initial five minutes'. That's more or less what it's saying." He then smirks down at Kaname and asks, "Do you recall the first law, Kaname?"

"I do. 'You are not Superman'. You may be tough on the battlefield, but you're still only human. You can only do so much. I don't want to lose you. At all." The blue-haired 'Whispered' looks up into her Fiance's face and adds, "I can face the bitter cold. But, a life without you? I don't know."

"Celine Dion, 'I Don't Know'. I feel the same way, honey." Lately, Sousuke and Kaname had been popping little song quizzes on each other to see how proficient they are. So far, they're getting to be evenly matched. "How about this one? Pray for me, pray for me, yeah."

"The tune is 'Pray For Me', from the 'Due South Soundtrack; Second Volume'. That certainly fits." Kaname then smirks and adds, "Quite frankly, you'll need all the prayers you can get, Soldier boy."

"Affirmative. Your turn."

As Sousuke helps Kaname out of the wheelchair into the van, she thinks of another one. "Is there a future to this life?"

Unsure, he asks, "Is that a lyric or a random question?"

Kaname seems to ponder it before replying, "You might say it's both. Sousuke, you can't keep doing the war against evil forever. There'll come a time that you'll get to be too old."

Sousuke reluctantly sighs before replying, "I know. As for the tune, I have no idea whatsoever as to it's origin."

"It's called 'A Future To This Life', by Joe Walsh and Lita Ford. It's what I sang to Sousuke Jr while Kim and I were on Merida Island. I felt it would make a good lullaby, especially for those that hadn't been born yet."

Much to her surprise, and delight, Sousuke starts chuckling. 'It worked! Destructive Sousuke, I can handle. A moody and destructive Sousuke? No way, buster! Not happening on my watch!'

"You never stop surprising me, Kaname. Did you hear the song somewhere?" Before Kaname can reply, he closes the door after kissing her lips and puts the wheelchair into the back of the van.

When he gets back into the van, she nods and replies, "Yeah. I heard it on the radio while you were on the mission in Helmajistan, Sousuke. It was late at night and the moon was full. While you and Team Hawk were rescuing the Tracy couples, that song came to mind. So, I used it as a prenatal lullaby of sorts. It reminded me a lot about what you had faced as a child and what I went through to find happiness. In some ways, I think that song was meant for us."

"Perhaps we can dance to it at our wedding, for our first dance as a married couple."

"Hmm, I like the sound of that, Sousuke."

"Same here, Kana-kun. Same here."

"Oh, Sous-kun. That's the first time you actually called me that." Sousuke blushes as Kaname pecks him on his cheek and he then starts the van's engine. The engine is so quiet, it unnerves Kaname to no end. "Do you happen to know any Mithril mechanics, Sousuke? All this quiet is driving me nuts."

"Just one, but she mainly deals with Arm Slaves. Although..."

Kaname has an idea of what he's thinking and giggles again. "You're not having a palladium reactor put in here or having the van modified into an Arm Slave, Sousuke. You can just forget about the ECS as well. Although..."

The thought of making love in an ECS cloaked van is enough to make her horny. In fact, it makes her horny enough to cause her to lean over and whisper into his ear. Sousuke can't help but laugh and blush as he puts the van into gear and guides the van out of the Hospital's parking lot.

"Okay, how about a fuel-efficient V-8 engine? Those have a good volume to them. Or perhaps a V-6."

"V-6 sounds nice. In fact, it sounds about right. But, I think that's the kind this van has."

"In that case, it's time for an engine upgrade. V-8 it is."

"Agreed. Now, who are the best engineers that make V-8s?"

"That would be a tie. The Americans and the Japanese. The American V-8 is very well made, as is the Japanese V-8. The main things to consider would have to be expense, weight and economy of the engine in question."

His face then brightens as he adds, "Of course, the American Police Interceptor V-6 would probably be ideal for this van. The engines are roughly the same size, so it would likely fit in the space like a glove."

"Let's get some information on the engines and look over the details. After school, though. I want us to graduate together, Sousuke."

"Roger." Within minutes, the young couple's Toyota Sienna van arrives at Jindai High and, as Sousuke pulls the van into the space, they both see Mizuki standing with Tsubaki. Kaname can't help a snickering sigh as she rolls down her window.

The redheaded girl grins as she asks, "Well?"

Kaname asks, "Well what, Mizuki?"

Scoffing, Mizuki replies, "The baby. What gender is it?"

Exiting the van, Sousuke grins back and replies, "We had a little difficulty earlier. So, they rescheduled us for this afternoon. After school."

Curious and suspicious, Tsubaki asks, "What kind of difficulty, Sagara?"

As Sousuke goes to the back, he replies, "Adjustment trouble on the bed. They expect to have it squared away by this afternoon." Kaname nods in agreement as he gets the wheelchair out. "The Hospital was kind enough to allow us to use the wheelchair for the remaining duration of Kaname's pregnancy." He then wheels the wheelchair over to Kaname's side and helps her in.

She smiles as she takes Sousuke's hand into hers and beams proudly at him. "In the short time we'd spent together, we loved a lifetime's worth."

"Sarah Connor, 'The Terminator', before she went into the desert." Sousuke can't help but smirk, adding, "She was pregnant too. I'd say post second-trimester."

"Yeah. That sounds about right." Kaname kisses Sousuke on his scar and the young couple proceed inside, with Mizuki and Tsubaki right behind them, snickering.

When they get inside, they see Principal Tsuboi looking at a wall and smiling. When they get to her, they see the reason for her smiling. 'The Protector of Life', 'Expectant Couple Enjoying Nature' and 'Expectant Couple Walking Together'. All of which have fatigue-clad Sousuke and Kaname prominently displayed. The one Principal Tsuboi is looking at happens to be 'Protector'.

"Madam Principal, how long have these been up?" Principal Tsuboi turns at Kaname's question and smiles softly at the young blue-haired woman.

"They've been up on this wall since this morning, Miss Chidori. They were in the Art Classroom's storage area. Mr. Mizuhoshi was kind enough to allow a display of Jindai High's most prominent couple."

"Is that a wise idea, Madam Principal? If the wrong people were to get word about this, Kaname could be endangered." Sousuke's question has a hidden tone. One that Kaname knows very well.

"Nonsense, Mr. Sagara. After all, who'd want to harm a Mother-to-be or her unborn child?"

"How about people that have no respect for human life whatsoever, Madam Principal? Those that think a young woman like Kaname has no business being pregnant just before graduation? If they were to see those pictures, she could very well be targeted by unsavory characters."

He then steps closer to the picture and softly adds, "If anyone was to harm my Fiancee or child, they will be punished. Here's a quote you might recall. 'In certain extreme situations, the Law is inadequate. In order to shame it's inadequacy, one must go outside the Law to pursue natural Justice. This is not vengeance. Revenge is not a valid motive, it is merely an emotional response. No, not vengeance. Punishment'. That quote holds very true for anyone that happens to be in my shoes."

Principal Tsuboi smiles at the young undercover soldier and replies, "Frank Castle, 'The Punisher', as he's preparing to punish those that killed his family." Her smile going slightly bigger, she adds, "I know exactly how you feel, Mr. Sagara. Very well. They'll be down by this afternoon until the time comes for the blessed event. Will that meet your approval?"

"Affirmative, Madam Principal. As long as no one makes the connection between us or the paintings, it's not a problem. If any arise, I'll handle them." Principal Tsuboi smiles again at him, knowing very well about his style of 'handling' problems.

"I imagine so, Mr. Sagara. Should they go back into storage?"

"Affirmative, ma'am. After all, out of sight, out of mind."

'Not going to touch that one! That otaku's out of his mind!' Tsubaki looks over at Mizuki and sees that she's placing a hand against Kaname's belly. When she lets out a squeal, he rolls his eyes. "What's going on, Mizuki?"

"The baby kicked, Issei. Whichever one it is, the little one is going to be strong as heck. Just like the Father is." Her face beaming, Mizuki turns to Sousuke and smiles sadly. "I hope I'll be as good as Kaname would be when it comes to being a Mother. After all, she did do a good job with you." That causes Sousuke to blush again as Kaname kisses him.

When they separate from the kiss, Kaname whispers, "How was that, soldier?"

"Mind-blowing." Sousuke then takes Kaname's hand into his and the couple heads on to class, with Tsubaki and Mizuki right behind, barely able to control their mirth. Upon arrival in class, they see Shinji and Kyoko sitting together, working on their respective notebooks. "Shinji, how're you doing today?"

Looking up, Shinji grins and replies, "I'm doing fine, Sousuke. However, I think I'll stay away from the steel nails diet. I just don't think I'm that ready yet."

"Understood. However, it was just a light joke. To give you the drive required to gut it out." Kyoko nods and giggles at that.

"He's got a good point, Shinji. The desire to do impossible things is a good motivator. And who'd make a better motivator than Sousuke?" That gets a massive blush out of the soldier as Kyoko, Mizuki and Kaname giggle while Shinji and Tsubaki guffaw.

"All right class, that's enough." Everyone takes their seats as Miss Kagurazaka comes into the classroom. "I'm guessing you're talking about Sagara now." At everyone's grin and nod, she asks, "What's he done this time?"

Mizuki replies, "Kyoko was just saying how motivational Sousuke is in his own way, Miss Kagurazaka. Sousuke motivated Shinji in his usual otaku manner and got impressive results in the end."

Sure enough, the regimen that Sousuke devised for Shinji did pay off. The smaller youth had a sizable amount of lean muscle at the end of the course. His hand-eye coordination had improved for hand-to-hand drills and basic marksmanship. His time on the course had also improved. His first day, he went through the obstacles in ten minutes. When Sousuke had finished with him, he was at six minutes.

Miss Kagurazaka nods and smiles brightly, saying, "Yes. He certainly did and would, Miss Inaba. However, we all could have done without hearing explosions in the distance every time Kazama-san finished the obstacles on the course." That causes everyone, Sousuke included, to laugh. "But, that's what happens at times. Let's begin, class."

At that, she begins the lesson for the day, glancing back at times to see how Sousuke and Kaname are faring. To her delighted surprise, Sousuke and Kaname are both working on getting their assignments written down. Looking around, she sees Masatami working steadily, but with a nervous look on his face. When she sees the other students working, she finishes writing on the board and goes over to Masatami.

"You okay, Hyuga-san?"

"Hai, Kagurazaka-Sensei."

"If you need anything, please feel free to tell myself or Sagara-san. I'm sure he can help you with any problem you might be having."

"I'll consider it. Thank you, Kagurazaka-Sensei." Miss Kagurazaka gives the young man a nod and a soft squeeze on his shoulder before returning to her desk.

By the time the class had finished the assignment on the board, the bell tolls for everyone's next class. As she watches Masatami leave the classroom, she can't help but notice the sullen look on his face. She then sees Sousuke and Kaname finish getting their books together and rise from their desks.

"Miss Chidori, Mr Sagara, a moment of your time please."

"Roger." Once they're in front of her, Sousuke says, "By your command, ma'am."

"Stand easy, Lieutenant." Thankfully enough, they're the only ones in the classroom. "I didn't just sound like an otaku, did I?"

"Just a little like an otaku I love very much, Miss Kagurazaka." Kaname is glowing with maternal pride as she strokes Sousuke's arm. Looking up at Sousuke, she says, "Through the wind and rain, the smoke and the fire."

"Celine Dion, 'Whatever it Takes'. And I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe, my dearest." Kaname can't help but blush rosily as Sousuke softly pecks her cheek, barely noticing Miss Kagurazaka's tears of joy.

'Finally, my most impressive student and my biggest problem student aren't afraid to show how they feel anymore. Then again, he can't really help the way he is. After all, fighting terrorists is bound to take it's toll on a person's psyche.' She then gets to the heart of the matter.

"I noticed something is wrong with Hyuga-san. Any ideas?"

Sousuke scowls and replies, "I'm afraid not, Miss Kagurazaka. If you like, I can talk to him."

"That would be a tremendous help. Thank you. I noticed how sullen he was, like he hadn't been sleeping well. That could mean he's having problems of some kind."

"Roger. We're on it." With that, Sousuke and Kaname exit the classroom, with Sousuke's mind working all possibilities with his usual military angle. 'Thoughts of wandering onto a mine field, using poison gas, self-detonation. The most likely angle is...' Suddenly, he stops and says, "He's wanting to walk onto a mine field."

Kaname can only sigh and giggle on the inside. 'That's Sousuke for you.' She then lightly swats his hip and says, "No, silly. I think he just needs to get something out of his mind. Come on. Let's go see if we can talk to him."

"Roger." Next thing they know, they come across a horrifying sight. Masatami being assaulted by a man that neither of them know. "Hold it!" Sousuke brings out his Glock and fires a rubber bullet, striking the back of the man's right shoulder. "I said hold it!"

The man, tall and slender with neatly-trimmed blond hair, turns around and replies, "Back off. This doesn't concern you."

"Baka! Masatami's our friend. As far as we're concerned, any time a friend of ours is being harmed, it does concern us." Next thing Kaname knows, the man stomps toward her, only to stop at the sound of another gunshot and fall backwards, with a nasty welt between his eyes. "Thanks Sousuke."

"It's not a problem. You check on Masatami while I interrogate the suspect."

"Okay." As Sousuke hefts the unconscious man onto his shoulder, she adds, "Don't be afraid to flush his face, Sousuke." Next thing she knows, he turns to face her, a psychotic smile on his face.

"Just leave it to me." The way he had said it sends a warm sensation up and down her spine as she rolls toward a sobbing Masatami. Along with chills associated with the face.

"Masatami? You okay?" Electing to get out of the wheelchair, she does so, being mindful of her belly.

"Why? What'd I do to deserve it?" Next thing the sobbing youth knows, Kaname has pulled him into a soft and gentle hug. "Miss Kaname?"

"Yes. It's me. Just let it all out. We'll talk later." In the background, they both hear a toilet flush and a man screaming. "Sousuke's working on the jerk right now. You want to say anything before he comes with his findings?"

"Yes." Masatami turns around to see Kaname's kind face and says, "He's my uncle. Hamato Hyuga. He's my late Father's brother. He was disappointed that he didn't get Guardianship of me, so, he began harassing me."

"That explains the security at your villa."

"Yes. When he found out I was back in school, he came here and started harassing me even more, usually from the outside. Today was the first time I'd seen him inside here since my return to school."

"Why would he want Guardianship over you?" Next thing she knows, she feels Sousuke's hand on her shoulder and smiles. "What'd you find out, Sousuke?"

"It seems Masatami's Father was a man with his own business. It was very lucrative. Home security. The system I went around was designed by Masatami's Father, it seemed."

"Sousuke?"

"Yes Masatami?"

"What'd you do with my uncle?"

"I left him in the restroom to cool down. Come on. Let's get you checked out and finish the day on a positive note. Who knows? By the time the day's over with, you may not have to worry about him hurting you anymore."

By the time they get Masatami done with the School Nurse, they find out that Hamato Hyuga was arrested by the National Police Agency for violating a restraining order barring him from contacting Masatami or any member of his domestic staff, along with assault on a juvenile and entering school grounds without permission.

When the time comes for Kaname and Sousuke's next class, Masatami elects to head to the school's office to wait for them. When they get into the classroom, they're surprised to see Kyoko, Mizuki, and Maya all wearing a 'pregnancy belly' as part of the lesson. Along with Shinji, Tsubaki and Ono-D each wearing an 'empathy' belly. As usual, Principal Tsuboi is instructing, although the two Mothers from before had gone on with their lives.

"Okay. Today, we're going to learn breathing techniques. These not only serve to aid in labor, but also to reduce stress when you're dealing with rambunctious children. Some of you will be glad to have this knowledge ahead of time while one of you will be getting a slight crash course of sorts." They all turn, see Kaname and smile warmly at her.

"As you can see, Miss Chidori is eight months along. So, if you will, Miss Chidori, lie down onto the floor, right on your back. Sagara, support her. But first, put this on." Without any further word, but with a wry grin, she hands Sousuke an 'empathy' belly.

"Roger." Once he gets his 'belly' on, they all get onto the floor, with the males supporting them, Sousuke looks around and sees Shinji, Tsubaki and Ono-D with their respective partners. "What are you guys doing here anyway?"

"Well, since you're taking the time to learn about helping raise a child, we figured it'd be kinda cool to get some information. But, since we missed so much, we're only doing this as a voluntary project." Ono-D softly strokes Maya's 'belly' and adds, "I think Maya would make a lovely Mother."

"Ono-D!" Maya's blush is intense as she giggles. "You'd make a great Father. Whoever winds up with you is going to be very lucky."

Kaname smiles at her friend and turns to Mizuki. "Well, that explains Ono-D. But, what about you, Mizuki?"

"Oh, just planning ahead a little bit. Never know, Kaname."

"I see. Kyoko?"

"Well, I see you and Sousuke stroking your belly so often and I can't help but feel a little lonely." Before Kaname can retort, she goes on. "I already did a little schoolwork. The bond between an expectant Mother and an unborn child grows stronger by the day. By now, the bond between you two must be as strong as the one between you and Sousuke."

"She does bring up a valid point, Kaname. After all, it's what keeps bringing me back to you. The desire to see your lovely lips again, your shining eyes and your luscious blue hair."

"That's so sweet, Sousuke. Why don't you try something for him, Kaname." Kaname blushes at Kyoko's words and looks over at Sousuke.

"You're the bravest of hearts, and the strongest of souls. You're the light in the dark, in the place that I call home."

"Celine Dion, 'Whatever it takes'. How about this one? The winds of the heart can blow me down. But I'll get right up and I'll stand my ground."

"Celine Dion, 'I Don't Know'. That's definitely you, Sousuke. You always get back up and stand your ground. If not charge at it." The blue-haired 'Whispered' strokes her beloved's cheek and softly smiles.

"It's almost time for our child to come into the world. It's a good thing we only have afternoon classes today, seeing as I'm almost in the home stretch and really shouldn't be walking around."

"Then why push yourself?"

"You're my strength, Sousuke. Always have been, always will be. When I was thinking about harming myself, something stopped me. It was like Mom was telling me not to do it, that it'll all work out in the end." She then pecks the underside of his chin and smirks. "Besides, someone has to help explain your graceful antics."

"I've been wondering about that." At Kaname's puzzled look, he goes on. "How are my antics graceful? I never even learned how to dance. Only people that can dance are graceful." That gets a soft giggle from Kaname and guffaws from the others.

"It's the way you do them, Sagara. The way you move, it's like you're swimming, but on land. Your movements are fluid, almost like you've been doing them all your life. In other words, you move like water in a stream." Tsubaki then grimaces as he asks, "Remember the Karate Club members and your fights with them?"

"Affirmative."

"Well, shortly after the new dojo was completed, they told me about how you had come up with your weapons. Be it using your shotgun to stun, gas to hinder and the grenade as a decoy. You finally got part of the spirit of unarmed combat right, albeit on the third try, but you used trickery to achieve the goal. When our turn came, I was distracted by Kaname and you knocked me clean out of the old dojo. My jaw hurt for three days. Your fist must be lined with steel."

"Negative. Had it been lined with steel, you wouldn't even be alive right now."

"Yeah, I guess that'd be true."

"That's enough, class. On to business. Ladies, I want you to breathe in and out, very quickly. Men, hold them, reassure them and keep them calm and centered." Principal Tsuboi smiles as she watches the students do what they can. When she sees Sousuke and Kaname, she can see that Sousuke is softly stroking her hair while Kaname pants in short puffs of air.

"Very good, Miss Chidori. I see you've learned a few things from your previous Lamaze classes here at school and at the Hospital."

"Uh-huh. And with having Sousuke nearby, I'm sure it'll be as smooth as possible." An uneasy chuckle comes from the others in the room, causing Kaname to look up at Sousuke. "You're not that bad anymore, Sousuke. Damage to the school has gone down quite a bit in the past month. That should at least count for something."

"But not by much, Kaname. However, I will be the best possible Father to our child. Even if I am a bit on the 'nutty' side." That gets a loud giggle from the ladies and sound chuckles from the guys.

"Understatement there, Sagara. But, I guess it's better to be nutty than uptight about everything. You're not afraid to express yourself destructively." Tsubaki grins as he looks down at Mizuki and adds, "Besides, you'll have Kaname and the baby to take care of. Something tells me you'll be docile by the time we graduate from High School."

Smirking, Kaname retorts, "With his graceful antics, I don't think so, Issei. No, something tells me Sousuke's going to be catching up, with even more intensity. Just to be sure no one will be able to harm our baby."

"Cool. We get some more excellent Sagara moments." Kyoko giggles in agreement with Shinji as he goes on. "Besides, once you've gone through Sousuke's Confidence Course, those explosions only feel like exercises."

Maya nods in agreement, saying, "Yeah. It kinda does serve a purpose like that. Once you go through a locker detonation, you can handle just about anything else."

Now wearing a smirk, Mizuki asks, "What about the 'Full Monty Bacteria', Maya? From what I recall, you didn't exactly handle that very well. In fact, none of us did. Well, aside from Sousuke. He was just trying to keep everything calm. As far as I can tell, he was the one with the coolest head, next to Kaname."

"Yeah. He sure does stay calm under fire. The only time he does freak out is if something's bothering me or if I'm hurt in some way. It's like what Kim's Grandmother said some time back when it came to Kim and Ron. When they were kids, he'd be with her. Just like a German Shepherd. Loyal, protective and caring. Along with fiercely devoted. Emphasis on fiercely."

At that, Kaname looks up at Sousuke and pictures him as a German Shepherd. Surprisingly enough, he does make an incredible likeness in the light. 'He really is just like a dog. Only a lot more destructive, even when he's protecting me. What more can a girl in love ask for in the guy she's marrying?'

"A nuclear warhead for your thoughts, Kaname." Kaname blinks, bringing Sousuke's concerned face back to his human state. "You looked like you were in a trance." Once he realizes he had said the words, Sousuke thinks, 'I hope I didn't say too much. She looked like she was in a trance. Luckily, she didn't start speaking about Black Technology.'

"Nah. Just thinking, sweetie. It's not a problem." Kaname can't help but smile softly as Sousuke runs his fingers through her hair. "That feels so good, romantic, intimate. Need I go on, Sousuke?"

"Negative, Kaname." As he runs them through her hair, Sousuke thinks, 'That's a relief. No 'Whispered' trance, just thinking about something. But what though?'

By the time class is over with, the girls had removed their 'bellies', along with the boys, and are heading for lunch. Next thing they know, they see Masatami waiting for them. Wearing a sad frown on his face. Worried, Sousuke and Kaname head up to him, with Principal Tsuboi right behind them. Just as concerned.

"Masatami, what's going on?" Masatami looks down onto the floor and Kaname reaches down to lift his head back up. "It's not healthy to keep things bottled up. I should know. If you talk about it, it won't hurt so much."

"I just saw the Superintendent of the Gawa school district. He said that because my Uncle came onto school grounds and created problems, I'm not to attend school here anymore." He then sighs and adds, "Even more, he said that since he has a friend that's a Judge, he can have my Guardianship awarded to my Uncle. I don't want that. At all."

"Now that's uncalled for." Principal Tsuboi is so incensed, what she says next will haunt her. Briefly. "Sagara-san."

"Ma'am?"

"I'd like you to ambush the Superintendent of the Gawa school district."

"Roger. Level of force required?"

"Just enough to persuade him to hear Mr. Hyuga's side of it all."

"Just leave it to me." With that, Sousuke's off like a shot, leaving a grinning Kaname behind.

"Go get him, boy."

Principal Tsuboi is not so enthused. "What.. have I done?"

"You sent a one-man army of destruction after a very idiotic person. That's what you've done." Mizuki's eyes are wide in fright. "You know the saying, right? 'Send a maniac to catch a maniac'. Essentially, that's what you did. Problem is, the one you sent a maniac after is not so maniacal. Just terribly misguided. Just like Sousuke is terribly misguided at times."

Principal Tsuboi considers it and then smiles, saying, "No, Miss Inaba. The Superintendent is quite maniacal. He should have informed me first, then have me inform Mr. Hyuga. However, since he bypassed me, he's very maniacal indeed. And I loved 'Demolition Man' as well."

Ten minutes later, a slightly-portly man, heavily-bound and shackled, is led into Principal Tsuboi's office, a scowling Sousuke in front of him.

"Untie me at once, young man! I don't care if Principal Tsuboi had requested my presence! I made my decision and it's final! Now, untie me!"

"Negative. Not until after you've heard Masatami's side of it."

"Children have no rights at all, let alone a voice!"

"Incorrect." Sousuke brings out his combat knife and a piece of fishing line. "Unless you'd like a flossing, I suggest you hear him out."

The man, seeing the fishing line, chortles and says, "I don't see how you can floss someone's teeth with that. It's not thin enough, let alone soft."

"I don't think that's the kind of flossing our young friend here has in mind." Principal Tsuboi turns around, a manic gleam in her eyes. "What you did was outside of regulations and well outside your authority. I had him convince you to come back here."

"You call this convincing? Tripping me from an alleyway, pointing an unlawful weapon at my head and trussing me up like a turkey. You call that 'convincing'?"

"He's a very good convincer. You may go to lunch now, Sagara-san."

Sousuke salutes and replies, "By your command, Madam Principal." Principal Tsuboi chuckles as she returns the salute and drops it when he does.

Once he's exited and closed the door, she shakes her head fondly and says, "If he's to ever join the Military, he'd at least be partially prepared. His otaku skills will serve him well."

"Otaku? Military?"

"Yes. I'm sure you heard about young Mr. Sagara and his tragic past."

"So that's the young man that's been wreaking havoc here in the school. I guess I should feel fortunate I'm not in a body bag right now."

"Indeed. However, I requested he only bring you back here, using only the minimal amount of force. Given the situation, I'd say he has shown incredible restraint."

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but what would have happened if he didn't show restraint?"

"I'm not too sure myself, as he can be quite unpredictable. You never know what he'll do next. In some cases, the subject would be petrified with fear, others would be bleeding lightly. With him around, it's never dull. Every day's an adventure. Now, let's discuss Masatami Hyuga and his education. Shall we?" She then hits her buzzer and says, "Please allow Mr. Hyuga inside." Once Masatami's inside the office, they begin.

Meanwhile, Sousuke is just now arriving in the lunch area when he sees Kaname, sitting and eating with the girls, engaging in light-hearted banter from all appearances. Looking over toward the guys, he sees Ono-D waving him over. Once he gets there, Tsubaki hands him his usual. Plain rolls.

As Sousuke starts eating one, Tsubaki says, "I still can't understand, Sagara." At Sousuke's puzzled look, he goes on. "How can you stand to eat them like that? I mean, plain, ordinary rolls?"

Swallowing, Sousuke replies, "In my youth, in Afghanistan after my parents died, they were the only things I ever ate. Over time, I developed a taste for them. It's not a problem." With that, he brings out a stick of beef jerky and bites off a massive piece. "The jerky came later." Once said, he begins chewing on it.

Meanwhile, Maya is watching Sousuke and cringes as he eats his roll and jerky. "How can he stand to eat that stuff, Kaname?"

"It's an otaku thing, Maya. After all, Sousuke's a survival expert. 'In the absence of actual nutrition, use the next best thing'. That's been Sousuke's way of thinking ever since before he started here. Given his history, I can understand why he'd think that. I mean, how would you react if your parents were senselessly butchered in front of you? Would you fight back, or just curl up and die?

Sousuke chose to fight back, but he also had to eat. So, he did the only thing possible. Joined up with the rebels, hoping they'd take care of him and teach him to fight. The latter, well, you know." The girls all giggle at that, knowing very well just what Kaname had meant.

"As for the former, I can't say much about their care-taking skills. I mean, call me a prude if you want, but I don't think it's good policy to take a knife, drag it against a youngster's cheek and give him a scar that'll be with him. Forever."

At Mizuki's horrified gasp, Kaname nods and sadly smiles. "After he told me, we fell asleep. When I woke back up, I went into the plane's lavatory for privacy and cried for Sousuke's lost childhood."

"I thought I felt my ears burning." Kaname perks up at Sousuke's voice and grins upon seeing his face. "I'm done with my rations, Kaname. How're you doing on yours?"

'Only Sousuke! Only he can call lunches rations. But, I do see his point.' Kyoko grins and brings up her camera, saying, "Let's get a picture of you two right quick. You're nearly done, Kaname. Who knows when I'll have another chance to photograph you when you're still in your Maternity uniform? Besides, you know what they say about a woman on the verge of Motherhood. 'Her inner beauty arises from deep within'. You're glowing with it, Kana-chan."

Kaname looks down at herself and blushes. Her belly is showing quite prominently through the white fabric and she couldn't even see the knee-length blue skirt unless she was looking in a mirror.

'I don't feel beautiful. I feel like a whale. Probably look like one too. Then again, it's not every day I'm asked to be photographed in a Maternity uniform. At school no less. Besides, Kyoko's never lied to me before.'

Feeling Sousuke gripping her shoulder, gently and reassuringly, she smiles softly and replies, "Okay." As Kaname and Sousuke get into position, she pecks Sousuke on the underside of his chin.

"You're absolutely stunning, Kaname." Massive blushes rise to both teens' faces as Kyoko's flash goes off. Upon hearing Kyoko's giggle, Sousuke asks, "Ready to find out about Masatami?"

"Oh yeah. Let's find out." With that, Sousuke wheels Kaname to Principal Tsuboi's office. When they get there, they see the Superintendent is unbound and talking amicably with both Masatami and Principal Tsuboi. "Well, I guess it's a good sign so far. No bloodshed."

Principal Tsuboi looks over at the door and smiles softly upon seeing Kaname. "Indeed, Miss Chidori. Mr Fujikuro was kind enough to change his mind regarding Mr Hyuga's education. Along with the subject of who should be his Guardian."

"Well, that's great news." Turning back to Sousuke, she smiles and says, "And nobody got hurt. Well, majorly anyway."

Mr Fujikuro chuckles as he turns around. When he sees Kaname's belly, his jaw drops. "How can you be pregnant, Miss Chidori?"

"Simple. Sousuke knocked me up." Taking Sousuke's arm, she adds, "We're due next month. For having both the baby and our wedding." Extending her left hand forward, she says, "Here's proof of our intent." Suddenly, Kaname has a sudden flash of deja vu and retracts her hand, just as the Superintendent reaches his hand for hers.

Confused, Mr Fujikuro asks, "What's wrong?" In his years of being an educator, he had never seen such a reaction from a student. Looking over at Sousuke, his eyes bulge out. "Wait a minute. You're the one that showed a gun to my Uncle."

When Sousuke gets a closer look at the man, he notices some familiar traits. Pronounced chin, heightened forehead and greying black hair. "Was this on the train, three months back?"

"Yes. It was. You gave him a heart attack."

"Your Uncle. He wouldn't happened to have been a jeweler, would he?"

"Indeed he is. He thought he was going to die."

Kaname growls and remarks, "If he hadn't tried stealing my ring from me, he wouldn't have had such an experience. Especially at Sousuke's hands. At first, he wanted to buy it, but I turned the offer down. Then, he tried stealing it from me. That's when Sousuke stopped him. Using the least amount of force to persuade him otherwise."

"He never mentioned that to me. He told me a young woman wanted him to appraise it for her so she and her associate could sell it. When he refused, the young man with her decked him and threatened to shoot him with a gun."

"Well, we're telling you it didn't happen that way. Your Uncle tried buying the ring I had custom-ordered for my Fiancee. She refused, very gently, after explaining it all. He grabbed her hand, prompting my response. That is my report and will remain so, sir."

'Whoa, Ms Tsuboi's right. He explained in a Military manner and carried himself here like an actual soldier. Almost as if he was born to be a soldier.' Mr Fujikuro smiles and replies, "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, young fellow. In the meantime, the crisis with Mr Hyuga's Uncle did bring up an interesting point. I'm sure you've undoubtedly noticed his physique."

"Affirmative. Kaname and myself have seen his smaller and frail form before. With the proper conditioning and training, he could be considered potentially ideal for athletics. However, he'd also be limited, given his psychosomatic illness, as it is currently indicated in his file as a temporary setback for him."

Principal Tsuboi nods and says, "I'm in agreement. In fact, that's the thing we were just discussing, Sagara-san. Since you did a good job with Kazama-san, perhaps you'd like to train the ultimate in raw recruits."

Looking over Masatami cautiously, Sousuke replies, "Going to have to lighten the training load a little bit. Given his physique, he'd most certainly crumble like an old corrugated metal building, pocked completely by machine gun fire. That would consist of the pistol belt alone, fully-loaded. With two canteen pouches, two magazine pouches and a first aid kit. Along with forty pounds of weight occupying those spaces. It's the best I can do."

"What's to be his first step, Mr. Sagara? You know I don't really approve of remedial training unless the student in question has been given a thorough diagnostic. Especially with you in charge of the training."

"Ma'am, first order of business is a thorough physical. Reflexes, blood pressure, amount of existing muscle mass. The whole nine yards."

Principal Tsuboi nods in agreement and says, "Make it so, Mr. Sagara."

"'Star Trek: The Next Generation'. The command used by Captain Picard when he wants Commander Riker to implement the plan. Very good reference, ma'am. By your command, Madam Principal." With that, he gently puts his hand on Masatami's shoulder and, with an Austrian accent, says, "Come with me if you want to live."

"Where's that from?"

"Don't tell us you've never seen 'The Terminator' movies." At Masatami's headshake, Kaname smirks and says, "I asked you not to tell us that, Masatami."

"Sorry, but before my Father died, I was considered too young to even watch them." Suddenly looking up with a glint in his eyes, he adds, "I'd like to watch them, though. All three of them."

Sousuke grins and replies, "I'm sure I can arrange a little something like that. Yes. Mwahahahahaha."

"All right, 'Megatron'. You've made your point." Kaname smiles proudly at her beau and says, "I'll see you later, after school."

"Roger." With that, he and Masatami head on to the School Nurse's office. "If approved, it'll take me a while, but you should be ready in time for tryouts this summer."

"You really think he has a chance, Chidori-chan? Hyuga-san, I mean." Mr Fujikuro is highly dubious, whereas Principal Tsuboi is supremely confident, having seen Shinji Kazama's progress over the past three weeks.

"If anyone has a chance with Sousuke, it's Hyuga-san. He showed courage when Sousuke was mounting his own rescue operation. Sousuke thought I was being held captive in his villa. He stormed the property, took on his bodyguards and confronted him. Along with giving him sound advice. He then extracted the both of us, with me in his arms. I wanted to kiss him so badly. But, it was on a subconscious level."

"Boy. Don't hear about that very often. An otaku pulling off a rescue, facing off against three bodyguards and making a dramatic escape with a damsel in distress out of danger. So, you're due next month."

"Affirmative. I'm quite convinced it's a boy, sir. As is Sousuke. Just have to do an ultrasound to verify it." With that, she softly rubs her womb and smiles. "When Sousuke found out, he was stunned."

"Where was that?" Kaname looks up at Principal Tsuboi and is sorely tempted to tell her all about the mission in Shanghai. But, she decides against it and goes with a spin.

"Otaku convention party in Denver Colorado, Madam Principal."

"I see."

Meanwhile, Masatami's just having his physical started. The Nurse clicks her tongue as she looks over Masatami's frail form.

"I'll tell you this much, he's certainly going to be ideal for your remedial training, Sagara-san. He's as raw as they come."

"Oh? What's wrong with him, Nurse?"

"His white cell count is sizable for certain, but his red cell count is very small."

Sousuke strokes his chin thoughtfully and nods. "I see. What would be needed to increase his red cell count?"

"It'd be bad enough to discuss it, but, I might as well. Lots and lots of red meat. Thoroughly cooked, of course. Protein is what's responsible for making red blood cells. They work in conjunction with the white blood cells to regulate the body. But, according to his blood-work and his file, he had been very ill up until recently. Correct, Hyuga-san?"

Masatami bows his head and replies, "It is."

With that, the Nurse goes on. "With the illness he had gone through, his red cell count had dropped to the point where he'd be weak and frail. Constantly."

Pondering it, Sousuke asks, "How long should he be on that kind of diet?"

"I figure at least two months. Tops. Meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, two servings for each meal. The best source I can think of off-hand would have to be ground beef. Another source of protein I can think of would be protein shakes."

"Roger. I'll start him off on it when he's ready. What do you say, Hyuga-san? Wanna start tonight?" When Sousuke doesn't get a reply, he looks and sees Masatami had passed out. "Must have been the thought of eating meat that caused that to him."

The Nurse can only chuckle as Sousuke lifts the unconscious youth onto his shoulder in a fireman's carry. After ensuring he has a pulse, he nods and says, "He's still alive, so it's not a problem." At that, Sousuke carries Masatami out of the room and on to Principal Tsuboi's Office. Upon arrival, he gives his report as he puts Masatami down into one of her chairs.

"And that's the situation, Madam Principal."

Principal Tsuboi turns her chair around to face the window and asks, "What's your opinion, Sagara-san?"

"As I have no actual Medical skills to speak of, aside from some slight surgical, I feel it'll be prudent to follow the Nurse's suggestion."

"I agree. Go on home, Sagara-san. I'll inform Hyuga-san's transportation."

"By your command, ma'am." At that, Sousuke exits the office, leaving Principal Tsuboi alone with him. As he gets out to the van, he sees Kaname is waiting right beside it. "Ready to go, honey?"

Kaname looks up and nods, replying, "I am. I just hope that nut-case had learned proper operations by now."

"I hope so too, honey." With that, Sousuke helps Kaname into the van and drives the both of them back to Tokyo General Hospital. As he drives, Sousuke looks over at Kaname and puts his hand onto hers, very softly. Kaname smirks at it and takes his hand into hers, curling her fingers into his, with him returning it.

Within fifteen minutes, they arrive at the Hospital. Once again, Sousuke goes to get her wheelchair. When he returns with it, he gingerly helps Kaname into it and wheels her inside. Much to their surprise, Dr Hikaru Tanaka is just arriving at the Hospital.

"Miss Chidori, Mr Sagara, I understand you had a little trouble this morning. I got the call earlier this morning and felt I should be here to perform the ultrasound. Needless to say, the higher-ups weren't very happy with me getting the call."

Kaname nods at that and smiles, saying, "I'll say we had some difficulty, but it's okay, now that you're here. We're terribly sorry about the displeasure you went through." The slim red-haired young woman nods at the young couple and shows them to the room.

Upon arrival, they see Dr Ching in her office, looking over the book regarding proper procedures. As they go past, they hear a shaky breath from the office. A slightly-amused Dr Tanaka looks over at the couple and Sousuke blushes while Kaname tells her about what had happened. By the time she's done, Dr Tanaka's barely able to stay upright due to her laughter.

"Okay. Up you go, Miss Chidori." Kaname nods and gets up onto the bed with Sousuke's help. Once he'd opened the shirt at her belly, he softly kisses it and gives it a soft stroke with his fingers. "Okay, I'm going to put this gel on your belly." As Dr Tanaka does so, Kaname begins giggling softly.

"It's cold."

"It usually is. Now, here we go." Picking up the ultrasound's sensor, she softly places it against Kaname's belly. Instantly, they're able to see Kaname's womb, along with the baby. "So far, so good. I see you've been taking good care of her and the baby, Mr Sagara."

"Indeed he has been, Dr Tanaka." Next thing she knows, she sees the baby kick against her womb and smirks upon feeling it. "You're certainly going to be a feisty one, aren't ya? Just like your Daddy must have been."

Dr Tanaka then moves the sensor, saying, "Now to find out which one it's going to be." As the picture comes up, they get their answer. "It's going to be a boy. Have you discussed baby names already?"

Kaname nods and replies, "We're naming him after his Father." Turning her attention to the screen, she softly adds, "Hi, baby Sousuke. Just a little longer to go and you'll come into the world." Looking up at Sousuke's face, she sees tears falling from his eyes. Tears of joy. "You're going to make a wonderful Daddy, Sousuke."

"Daddy. I like the sound of that, Kaname." He then pecks her lips, adding, "You'll make a wonderful Mommy as well, Kaname."

"Hmm, I love the sound of that, honey." With that, she gives Sousuke a passionate kiss while Dr Tanaka smiles at the young couple.

"I take it you'd like a copy of the recording."

"We would. Thank you, Dr Tanaka." Kaname nods in agreement with Sousuke as he gently grazes the monitor's screen again. In his mind, he thinks, 'I'm going to be the best possible Father for you, son. Even if I have to quit Mithril.'

Noticing Sousuke's deep in thought, Dr Tanaka asks, "What's he thinking about?"

"Oh, knowing Sousuke, he's bound to be determined to be the best possible Father for the baby. Even if his foster family doesn't like it."

"I see." Dr Tanaka then hands Kaname a video-disc and adds, "Here's your copy of the ultrasound, Miss Chidori. I hope to see you when you go into labor."

"I hope so too, Dr Tanaka. Thanks again." Turning to Sousuke, she softly says, "I'm ready to go, you goofball."

"Roger." Gingerly lifting Kaname off of the bed, he sneaks a quick peck on her lips just as Dr Tanaka brings up a moist towel. "What's that for, Dr Tanaka?"

"It's to wipe off the gel from Kaname's belly."

"Understood." Once he has her back in the wheelchair, he begins to gingerly wipe Kaname's belly off. "Mizuki and Tsubaki'll really be surprised, Kaname. While Shinji and Kyoko'll flip out."

"Indeed, Sousuke." As Sousuke wipes the gel off of her belly, he looks into her brown eyes while she looks into his grey eyes. "If only your parents can see you now, Sousuke."

"I'm sure they can, Kaname. One way or another, I'm sure they're watching. Just like I'm sure your Mom's watching you." Kaname nods in agreement as Sousuke finishes wiping off the gel and puts it into the proper place for it. Namely, the sink as it can be used over again and again.

Once they had bid Dr Tanaka good-bye, they head out of the Hospital, not noticing Dr Ching isn't in the office. Once they get to the van, they do the next thing on their agenda. Buying baby furniture and supplies.

Along the way, they see a Tokyo version of 'Infants "R" Us' and pull in to check it out. This time, they're able to get in without being hassled by a mascot. With that done, they begin shopping. Their cart is halfway filled when something catches Kaname's eyes.

"Oh, Sousuke. Look at this here." Kaname had spotted a small mobile with a fish motif on it. Looking up into his face, she whispers, "In a way, it kinda reminds me of your home at sea when you're on active duty in the field."

"Hmm, yes it does resemble it somewhat. All we need is one with a ballistic missile submarine dedicated to world peace and it'll be perfect. Or perhaps this one can be modified."

"Can I help you with something? Oh, Kaname." The young man's voice gets Kaname's attention as she turns the wheelchair around. "You've certainly changed quite a bit."

"Fuwa-Senpai? How've you been?"

"I've been okay. So, who's your friend?" The blond young man notices Sousuke's scar and clicks his tongue.

"This is my Fiance, Sousuke Sagara. Sousuke, this is Fuwa."

"Hello, Fuwa."

'Whoa. His eyes look like those of a war veteran. He must play paint-ball.' Fuwa then gets a look at Kaname's belly and smirks. "You've come a long way since that Sunday, Kana-chan."

Much to his surprise, Kaname smiles and says, "I certainly have. Especially since Sousuke came into my life." Changing the subject, she asks, "How long have you been working here?"

"Oh, about five months now. I believe I heard something about a submarine dedicated to world peace."

"Affirmative. We're looking to get hold of a mobile that has a replica ballistic missile submarine dedicated to world peace. Do you have anything like that in stock?" Leaning forward toward the mobile, he adds, "Or perhaps you know of someone that can custom make it." When he doesn't get an answer, he turns around and finds out why. Shaking his head, he can't help saying, "Lightweight." Fuwa had fainted at what he had said.

"Let's go, Sousuke." Kaname's voice is down as she tries choking back tears. "The mission is scrubbed. For today."

Not liking the sight of his beloved so down, Sousuke replies, "Roger. Let's go home and get something to eat. You're bound to be hungry by now."

"Hmm, I am." As the couple heads out to the van, Kaname suddenly stops the wheelchair. "Sousuke?"

"Yes, Kaname?"

"What you said back there. Wouldn't that have blown your cover?"

"Negative. I gave a description while being vague. Had I wanted to blow my cover, I would have included technical specifications. Since I did not, there's no chance of my cover being blown at all. It's not a problem." Leaning closer to her ear, he softly adds, "When one door closes, I hope one more opens."

Kaname smiles at that and replies, "Lee Ann Womack, 'I Hope You Dance'. This one verse should get your attention, you war nut. 'Never settle for the path of least resistance'. I can't help but wonder why she'd put that in, though."

"Because it is always heavily mined, Kaname. It's one of Murphy's Laws of Combat. It goes like this. 'The path of least resistance is always heavily mined'."

"Hmm, I wonder if Ms Womack is a Military nut as well." They then look at each other, chuckle and shake their heads.

"Nah."

At that, they both get into their van and head home. When they get to the apartment complex, Kaname heads inside while Sousuke begins hauling their purchases toward the elevator. All in all, they were able to get a crib, changing table, five light blue blankets, and a child carrier for vehicular use. Sousuke had elected to leave the carrier in the van, allowing him to concentrate on the crib and blankets.

As he gets into the elevator, he catches sight of Kyoko, Maya, Mizuki and Ren heading toward their ground floor apartment. He manages a wave just as the doors close and manages to see them wave right back at him, giggling.

'What are they here for?'

Inside the apartment, Kaname is working on the dinner for the evening when she feels Sousuke Jr move around in her womb. Smiling softly, she gently strokes her belly and says, "Now, now. No need for that, little guy. You'll be ready in a month, but Mommy's gotta eat so you can as well." Next thing she knows, there's a knock at the door. "Now what?"

Putting a hand against her back, she walks over to the door and looks at the monitor Sousuke had set up. Grinning when she sees who it is, she opens the door and says, "Hi guys. What's going on?"

Ren smiles and replies, "Your baby shower, Miss Chidori." Kyoko nods and giggles at the thought of how Sousuke would interpret the words.

Kyoko giggles again and says, "It's a good thing Sousuke's not around. He'd probably be buying shampoo and soap."

Mizuki nods in agreement and adds, "After all, he does take things very seriously."

Looking at Kaname's belly, Maya softly adds, "Besides, it's just for us girls. Think of it as a prenatal bonding ritual among friends." Looking into Kaname's eyes, she then asks, "Did you find out?"

"Uh-huh. It's a boy." She brings up the disc and asks, "Anyone wanna watch? It's a real tear-jerker. It even got to Sousuke, seeing his unborn son."

Once the girls had nodded, they all make Kaname comfortable and begin the baby shower.

Up in their apartment, Sousuke is reading the assembly instructions and grumbling at the same time. "This reads almost like the operations manual for the M6 Bushnell. 'Insert post "A" in slot "B". Arrange the posts diagonally along the sleeve on Post "A" and put into bottom quarter'. What the heck is this? A crib or a prison cell?"

Suddenly, there's a knock at the door. "Now who could that be?" When he gets to the door, he sees Shinji, Tsubaki and Ono-D standing at the doorway, grinning madly. "What brings you guys here?"

Tsubaki replies, "Oh, not much. Just a little time hanging with the guys, Sagara. And you're the guest of honor."

"Negative. I don't have the time. I'm busy trying to figure out what these blasted crib assembly instructions mean. I can't seem to make heads or tails out of it."

Blinking in disbelief, Ono-D asks, "You mean you've actually never done this before?"

"Affirmative." Chuckling ruefully, Sousuke adds, "I can tell you about the chain gun on the M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle and other pieces of ordnance. But, stuff like this? It's a whole new world." Much to his surprise, Ono-D begins chuckling. "What's so funny?"

"You are, Sousuke. Come on. We'll do the guy time while we help you out." Tsubaki and Shinji both nod in agreement as Ono-D claps Sousuke on his shoulder and adds, "Besides, I have a little experience in this kind of thing."

"How so, Onodera-san?" They all turn toward Tsubaki as he goes on. "It's pretty strange come to think of it."

"Well, actually, when my cousin was born a couple years back, I helped set up the crib. I had the same kind of trouble you have, Sousuke. But, I was able to get help."

"Roger. It often pays to have a veteran at the ready."

Ono-D ponders it before saying, "That's a good way to put it. Let's get started."

Back downstairs, the baby shower is in full swing when there's a knock at the door. Kyoko giggles as she gets up and notices the monitor. When she sees who it is, she smiles and opens the door. "Melissa-san, Tessa-san, hi."

Melissa grins right back and says, "Hey there, Kyoko. Tessa and I came to throw Kaname a baby shower. Looks like you beat us to the punch. Then again, you can't have too many young women in here. Cause there's no such thing." Letting out a cackle, Melissa catches sight of Kaname's profile. "Hey Kaname."

Looking toward the voice, Kaname grins and says, "Come on in, Melissa and Tessa. We just now started to get ready to watch the disc again."

Curious, Tessa asks, "What kind of disc?" When Tessa walks in, they see that she's wearing a regular t-shirt and pants while Melissa's in her fatigues.

"My ultrasound disc." Tessa suddenly stumbles slightly and blushes. "You've never seen one before, have you?"

"No, I haven't. But, I'd like to see how the baby's coming along though."

Sensing an opportunity for fun, Mizuki asks, "Just how special is Sousuke? Maya told me about just how he was a very special boy in your eyes."

"I had a crush on him. It was massive to be certain. But it was only a crush. Our relationship was quite complex as it was. So, if it had gone bad, it would have been completely ruined. Besides, he's more like a brother to me."

Melissa grins upon seeing the gifts on the table and remembers her present for Kaname. "Here. It's a mobile. Tessa had it specially made. It brings your world and Sousuke's together. You can open it when we leave here." Kaname nods in agreement with Melissa as she puts it onto the table.

Mizuki's eyes suddenly pop out while Ren's jaw drops. "Now I remember when I first saw you. You're a student of Tessa's Dad. I even saw you at the airport when Sousuke and Kaname left. But, how do you know Sousuke?"

"Oh, he's like a kid brother to me. Ever since his family more or less 'adopted' him."

"Must be an impressive family." Melissa nods and chuckles at Ren's comment.

"Yeah, you could say that."

Fifteen minutes later, the girls are gone, leaving Kaname, Melissa and Tessa all alone. Tessa smiles as she brings the gift over to Kaname. As Kaname softly opens it, she smiles and giggles. When she sees what it looks like, she starts tearing up.

"Oh Melissa, Tessa. It's beautiful." The mobile has Arm Slaves of various makes, along with cherry blossoms and a small-scale version of the Tuatha de Danaan on it. "You have the RK-92 and JSDF Type 96, along with the M6, M9 and Arbalest. You even had the Tuatha de Danaan put onto it."

"It was Tessa's idea. The entire thing. She felt it would be nice for the baby to see the Arm Slaves Sousuke had piloted in the past. Along with his home for when he's on active duty. The cherry blossoms are representative of you."

"Yeah. Did Sousuke put her up to it?"

Tessa giggles and replies, "Nope. It was you resonating with me in your sleep, Miss Chidori." At Kaname's puzzled expression, Tessa nods and goes on. "It seems when a 'Whispered' that's expecting is at a certain time, things come to mind subconsciously. Like things to get, fantasies about the opposite to one's soul. It was two weeks ago that you had resonated with me, Kaname."

"I thought I heard your voice in my head while I was asleep, but I thought that it was a dream I was having." Looking down at her belly, Kaname asks, "Is he going to be a 'Whispered' as well, Tessa?"

"I'm not entirely sure. Like I said before, the only way to know for sure is to have a tape recorder set up for when Sousuke Jr is born. However, I can tell you this much for certain. Due to your condition, your subconscious is heightened significantly. That's as far as I can safely tell you."

"How heightened exactly, Tessa?" When she sees the petite Captain blushing furiously, she says, "Let's have it."

"Your fantasies regarding Lieutenant Sagara. I don't think I should mention anything else about it."

Blushing upon having a thought, Kaname asks, "I didn't happen to send you the one with us in Arbalest together the other night, did I?"

"You did." Kaname gasps at it and Tessa starts giggling, as does Melissa. Very soon, Kaname joins in as well.

Back upstairs, Sousuke and the guys put the finishing touches on the apartment's nursery area. The crib is set up, along with the changing table at it's right side. Right behind the table is a rocking chair for when Kaname or Sousuke's feeding the baby and are rocking the infant to sleep.

"Thanks for the help, guys."

Shinji nods and smiles as he takes a picture of the nursery area. "This will certainly be a nursery to remember, Sousuke." Tsubaki nods until he sees the little black spots in the blue wall and then grimaces.

"Sagara, are these bullet holes?"

"Affirmative. Simulated bullet holes anyway. Go ahead and poke one." Much to Tsubaki's surprise, and relief, the 'hole' turns out to be solid wall. "If you step back, you can see a little bit of a name. The holes are in a Kanji pattern."

When they all step back, they see what he means. 'Sousuke Jr'.

Ono-D smiles as he looks over at Sousuke and says, "It's beautiful, man. Shinji, get a picture, quick."

"You got it." Once Shinji has the picture, he smiles at Sousuke and nods. "You'll make a great Dad, Sousuke."

"I hope so, Shinji. I really hope so. Especially with my past history." No more needs to be said, for the guys know exactly what Sousuke had meant. Partially at least. After all, the kid's bound to be hassled because the Father's a 'Demolition Man'.

"So, any idea as to which one it is, Sagara?"

"Affirmative. A boy." That causes Tsubaki's jaw to drop as Tsubaki turns back toward the wall.

"But, if you just found out today, why is the paint dry already?"

"I always kept the faith, Tsubaki. In life, that's all you can really do. Well, that and do everything possible to stay alive."

"But, what if it turned out to be a girl, though?" Ono-D is perplexed as he goes on. "After all, paint's not quite easy to remove."

"Affirmative. That's why I'd paint over it quickly if it turned out to be otherwise." Suddenly, there's a knock at his door. "Just a moment." When he opens it, he sees Mardukas and Kurz. "Kurz, Mr 'Testarossa'. What brings you here?"

Puzzled as to why his subordinate is using his cover identity, Mardukas replies, "Just thought we'd see how the nursery area is coming along, Mr Sagara. Teletha was quite concerned, given your lack of experience in dealing with infants."

"I see. And Kurz?"

"Oh, I'm just here to show Tessa's Dad your apartment as it currently is. So, where's Kaname?"

"Ground floor apartment. We felt it would be advantageous to be close to the ground level, if not on, for when Kaname goes into labor."

"Hmm, sounds like a prudent plan, Mr Sagara. However, aren't you concerned for her well-being?"

"Affirmative, sir. However, I did leave a small amount of equipment within the apartment should it be deemed necessary for Kaname to use it. It's not a problem."

Mardukas nods in agreement with Sousuke's idea and catches sight of his classmates. 'No wonder he used my cover name. Good work, Lieutenant.' He then gives them a stern smile and says, "I hope you're doing everything you can in helping Mr Sagara integrate himself into society. It seems he still has trouble in some areas."

"Yes, sir, Mr Testarossa. So, how's your daughter doing?"

"Oh, she's doing fine. Right now, she's with Miss Chidori as is Miss Mao. We saw your other classmates leaving the apartment as we were heading in. Who would you be?"

"Dotaro Onodera. My friends call me Ono-D. To my right is Issei Tsubaki, Jindai High's Karate Club Captain and to my left is Shinji Kazama."

"Ah. So you two were the ones up to mischief with Mr Weber here. Both you and Mr Kazama, Mr Onodera. The only one up to no mischief was Mr Sagara, it seems."

"You call placing land mines and sentry guns all over a resort no mischief?" Ono-D is incredulous as he goes on. "Those land mines and guns had Sousuke written all over them."

"But of course. He was respecting my wishes for watching over her. Yes, he may have overdone it a tad, but he was able to fulfill them."

Shinji can't help but sputter as he asks, "A tad? A TAD? He nearly got us killed, Mr Testarossa!"

"Ah, but you're still alive. He only made sure the guns were only able to stun and the mines were concussive. Nothing lethal was used. It was one of the requests he had made so Teletha could enjoy her trip with you all."

Tsubaki smirks at it and says, "From all accounts, you make her sound like a VIP and Sagara a bodyguard."

"That's exactly what his role was, Mr Tsubaki." Relishing the teen's horrified expression, he nods and goes on. "No one is more important than Daddy's little girl. And who better to look after her than a friend that used to play with her?"

"Did they ever play 'Doctor'?" Ono-D's question has Sousuke stone-pale and Mardukas scowling inwardly.

"For his sake, they better not have." At that point, the guy time is over with. As the boys leave, Mardukas says, "Party's over, go home. Next time my place." Once Kurz had closed the door, he snickers and adds, "Of course, my place is usually on the bridge of the Tuatha de Danaan. Lieutenant, what is this?" Mardukas had finally just seen Sousuke's attempt at a nursery for the incoming child.

"A nursery zone for Sousuke Jr, sir. I used blue paint for the painting and the Kanji lettering was done with painted bullet holes." When he sees the Commander shaking, he bows his head and says, "If it doesn't meet your approval, then that's just fine by me, sir. But at least I'm making an effort. Doesn't that count for something?"

"Lieutenant, I never thought I'd say this, but I was hoping this day would come." In shock, Sousuke looks up and sees Mardukas grinning, with Kurz smiling proudly. "So breathe before you pass out on your deck." Once Sousuke had taken a breath, Mardukas goes on.

"What you did was ballsy. Crazy, but ballsy. Not many people gather up the nerve to talk back to their Superior Officer, let alone in their home. But, I don't really stand for that very well, soldier. So, on that note, you better pray there are no missions that require your unique skills any time soon. Because, if so, I'll up the pressure on you until one of two things happen. One, you go out, kill some terrorists and come home. Two, you start killing everyone around you. Mithril and terrorist alike."

Chuckling, he then softly says, "I'll be hoping for the former, but preparing for the latter." Putting his hand on Sousuke's shoulder, he adds, "Gutsy move, son." Turning toward Kurz, he says, "Let's go, Sgt Weber. We've taken up enough of Lt Sagara's time."

"Right behind you, sir." When Kurz gets a look at Sousuke's face, he sees that Sousuke's sweating heavily. "Chin up, Sousuke. At least you didn't get launched out of a torpedo tube." For a slight instant, both men could swear they hear laughter right out in the hallway.

Outside the apartment, the Commander is laughing his head off. 'Way to go, Sousuke! Way to go!' Once he's joined by Kurz, he looks over at the sniper and asks, "How's he holding up?"

"He looks like he's about to sweat himself dry."

"That poor kid. What he went through, no one should have to go through. But, at least he grew a backbone and took a stand for something. After all, that's what we're all about. Growing backbones."

Back in the apartment, Sousuke is busy cleaning up the materials when his communicator chimes. "Sagara."

"_Sousuke, where are you? It's been three hours and I need to see you."_

'Has it really been that long?' Checking his watch, he nods and replies, "I'm just now working on the cleanup, Kana-kun. Are you alone right now?"

"_Yeah. Melissa and Tessa were here, along with the others, to give me a baby shower."_

"Does that kind of thing require soap and shampoo?" Kaname's laughter comes through loud and clear in soft giggles.

"_Mizuki and Kyoko figured you'd say something like that. No, silly. A baby shower is a party of sorts where women, both young and old, get together and give an expectant woman gifts for the baby."_

"Hmm, sounds interesting. I think you'll like what the guys and I did with the nursery. I think the Commander liked it too."

"_Commander Mardukas was there too?"_

"Affirmative. I'll tell you about it when I get downstairs. Besides, I need to get that information on engines anyway."

"_Okay. See you soon, Sousuke."_ At that, communication ends, allowing Sousuke to clean up. Within ten minutes, he has all the boxes stored away and is heading downstairs. When he gets to the apartment, he sees the door opening and his Fiancee smiling.

"You're in a good mood, Kana-kun."

"I am, Sous-kun. Remember that mobile at the store and what we discussed?"

"Affirmative."

"Well, it seems as if Mithril has started branching off into baby care supplies." Smirking, she then adds, "Or at least Tessa has. Come on in and I'll show you what I mean."

Nodding, Sousuke goes into the apartment and is told by Kaname to sit down and close his eyes. In a minute, he hears rattling from in front of him and, thinking there's a rattlesnake, bolts his eyes open. What he sees is a mobile with small versions of Arm Slaves he'd piloted, along with the one he's currently piloting and the Tuatha de Danaan. Also on there is cherry blossoms.

"Kaname, how?"

"It's from being a 'Whispered', Sousuke. It seems being knocked up will cause a 'Whispered's subconscious to be more active." Next thing Kaname knows, she's being kissed passionately by her Fiancee. "Mmm, Sousuke."

"Whether or not you're 'Whispered', you'll always be the woman I realized my love for and our child's Mother. You'll always be Kaname Chidori, my dearest friend and the love of my life."

Blushing rosily, Kaname replies, "Whether or not you're the ultimate warrior within Mithril's ranks, you'll always be Sousuke Sagara, my dearest friend and the love of my life. Along with the best possible Daddy our little boy can ask for." Smirking, she then straddles Sousuke's lower region and kisses him again.

"I think Principal Tsuboi may have been onto something last month. Mr and Mrs Sousuke Sagara. I'll always be a Chidori by blood, but I'll also be a Sagara. Wife to a warrior for world peace and Mother to a potential warrior."

"I guess we'll just see what happens from here on out, Kana-kun. I want our son to be prepared, but I don't want him to come out as screwed up as I am."

"He won't and you aren't. Sousuke, you had spent so little time in peaceful surroundings. Going from one place to another, doing what you do best. Fighting the good fight. When you first came here, you were out of your element. It took you quite a while to get settled in somewhat."

Putting the palm of her right hand against his scar, she softly adds, "That is part of who you are. Just like this scar is. Tessa was certainly right about you when she visited us at Jindai High during her vacation."

"Oh? How's that, Kana-kun?"

"She said that you were a very special boy in her eyes. Only, in mine, you are a very good man with a decent heart."

"Strange, I don't recall that."

"It's because you were unconscious by the pool when she said that. The Commander must have ran you so ragged that night, the pool nearly did you in. In fact, you did the most impressive belly flop into the pool when you thought Tessa was in danger." Wincing as she recalls it, she adds, "That must have stung."

"Negative. I've water-landed smack on my belly numerous times. It's not a problem for me." That gets Kaname to giggling softly as she pecks Sousuke, with him returning them.

"Only you, Sousuke. What're you going to do next? Drive a tank onto railroad tracks and derail a train?"

"Negative, Kaname. Only a total nut would do that."

"I see. What would a lunatic do?"

"Smile insanely upon seeing the tank." He then smirks and replies, "I saw 'Goldeneye' as well. I thought the tank chase through St Petersburg was pretty good."

Kaname can't help but giggle at the thought of Sousuke driving a tank through Tokyo's streets. With her in danger and the bad guy drinking sake to ease his nerves. Only except there'd be no train to derail.

"I can imagine you doing that. But only in Tokyo." Suddenly grinning smugly, she gets up and onto her knees. "For now, let's have a little fun, honey." To give him an idea, she begins stroking his groin, very softly.

'Yep. This pregnancy has definitely made her into a nympho.' Next thing he knows, she undoes his trousers and wraps her lips around his member. As she bobs her head up and down, Sousuke runs his fingers through her long blue hair.

Kaname can't help but chuckle upon feeling Sousuke's fingers in her hair. Next thing she knows, she gets a spurt of Sousuke's essence into her mouth. 'That must be like a trigger of sorts to him. Better remember that.' Unwrapping her lips from around his member, Kaname looks up at Sousuke and grins.

"I'll have to ask the Doctor about sex, Sousuke. As in sex during the last part of pregnancy. If it'll be safe for the baby or not."

"I see." When he checks the time, his eyes bolt open. "Time for the news, darling."

"Hmm, you'd make a dashing anchorman. Particularly in war zones. Just don't get yourself killed."

"I'll do what I can, sweetheart." With that, his communicator chimes before he turns on the television. "Sagara. I see. Thanks. Sagara out." Sousuke puts his communicator down and wraps his arms around Kaname.

"Sousuke?"

"That was our friends in the States. Bonnie's Father figured out who she was. Bonnie confronted him about it and he tried to blackmail her. She wound up having to blank his memory. As a result, he lost his mind."

Kaname gasps in shocked horror, asking, "Did anyone else figure it out?"

"Affirmative. Cordell Walker, of the Texas Rangers. Company B. He and his associates were allowed to keep the memory."

"How's she handling it?"

"As well as can be expected." Sousuke grunts and says, "I will never understand family dynamics. I mean, Bonnie's Father deserted his family, yet she let him live? If he had been in a combat unit and he'd deserted his post during war time, he'd have been put to death."

"I can imagine that for sure, Sousuke. It's a little different with all families. We all have our issues, ghosts and skeletons. Just like you're bound to have some with your family, Sousuke."

"Yeah, you're probably right. As it is though, I have scant memories of my parents. Just bits and pieces."

"Well, chin up. Next month, you're going to become a Daddy. Provided, of course, nothing else goes nuts." Smirking softly, she strokes his member, asking, "Gonna watch the news or you wanna do something else?"

"I think I'll go with the latter." With that, he passionately kisses his Fiancee's lips, just as she bursts out giggling upon feeling the baby kick. "I can hardly wait to see you, son."

"Oh, don't forget about the engine, Sousuke."

"Roger. I'll do the search after we have a little fun."

"Hmm, sounds good to me."

Thirty minutes later, Sousuke's searching for compatible engines with more volume and finds the best one with the lowest possible price. 'Well, I guess we're getting an Interceptor engine.'

Author's Notes: Only took less than forty pages this time around. I did another little tribute to '9 Months' with my kooky Chinese Doctor. What'd you think of her? I hope I caught the spirit with putting her in the mix. Needless to say, you'll see her again. Yes.


	7. OPERATION MATERNITY WARD and Wedding M9

Seven Months p 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Panic!, Kim Possible or Street Hawk. Wish I did though.

Author's Notes: My thanks to Full-Metal-Sousuke for the advice, which can be seen close to the beginning of this chapter. In this chapter, blood will be spilled, a new life will enter and a wedding will be carried out with guns. One man will be given a new lease on life and a woman will learn a very painful lesson. Enjoy, seriously!

OPERATION; MATERNITY WARD and Wedding: Month 9

It's a bright sunny day in Miss Kagurazaka's classroom when it begins. "Today, class, we'll be going on a field trip to a new exhibit in the Tokyo Museum. So, Sagara."

"Yes, Miss Kagurazaka?" Sousuke can't help but see her face wearing a scowl, with a slight mixture of eager amusement.

"You are not to engage in any of your otaku antics during the entire trip. These are extremely rare artifacts. They were discovered by an elite group of anthropologists and date back to the days of the Aztec and Mayan Empires."

"By your command, ma'am."

Looking around the room, Miss Kagurazaka then nods and says, "If there's nothing else, let's get going." As the class files out to the bus, Sousuke and Kaname take a quick minute to stroke Kaname's nine-month belly as she remembers the morning.

_Kaname opened her eyes and noticed she was alone on the bed again. 'I swear, if he's cleaning his guns again, I'll have to distract him!' Getting up from the bed, Kaname smoothed out her nightgown as she walked softly toward the only place she could find her beau. Sure enough, it's where he was. Cleaning his guns._

"_Good morning, Kaname." Kaname smirked and embraced him from behind._

"_Ooh, what a sexy back. I just love broad shoulders."_

_Sousuke chuckled in return and asked, "How are you feeling, honey?" _

_Kissing him on his head, she replied, "Great, Sousuke. I think today may be the day. I dreamed about our son, Sousuke. You just came back from a battle and I kissed you before going into labor. However, since you're in country during the month, I seriously doubt you'll be seeing combat for a while."_

"_You never know, Kaname. My 'soldier' sense is tingling strongly today." Kaname couldn't help but giggle a soft giggle, knowing exactly what Sousuke had meant. His 'soldier' sense was what had kept him alive in the field. _

_She then kissed the back of his head and said, "I'm sure it's just your awareness working overtime. Let's just hope it doesn't amount to anything, Sousuke. But, if it does, I'll be praying for you to come through without a problem."_

"_Thanks, sweetie." Both teens couldn't help but smile as they blushed rosily. They had finally gotten used to calling each other 'sweetie' and honey'. But they still can't get past the blushing._

"_In the meantime, let's make love, Sousuke. I talked with Dr Tanaka on the phone the other day and she said it'd be safe enough for us to have sex. It won't hurt the baby. Even more, she said it'll help make giving birth a little bit easier on the expectant Mother."_

"_I see." After checking his watch, Sousuke nodded and replied, "We certainly have time, Kaname. It's early enough in the morning." Kaname smirked as she lifted her nightgown off, revealing her nude and expectant form to her Fiance. _

_Lying down onto the table, Kaname softly gasped as she felt Sousuke's hand softly caressing her breast and his lips pressing gently against her belly. She then saw him approaching her entrance, undoing his trousers. When she heard them hit the floor, she began grinning as she felt him tapping at her entrance._

"_You're positive, Kaname?"_

"_Very, Sousuke." With that, she felt him entering her passage and he then began pumping her. "Oh, that's it Sousuke. Hmm, oh that feels so good." As he pumped her, Kaname moaned as she wrapped her legs around him. Fifteen minutes later, she felt him start pulling out and brought him back in._

"_In me, Sousuke. Release into me." With a grunt, Sousuke released his seed into her womb, triggering her orgasm. As she came down from it, she lovingly stroked his scarred cheek and brought him down for a kiss._

Sousuke and Kaname both jolt out of it after hearing Miss Kagurazaka calling for them over the public announcer. "Will Sousuke Sagara and Kaname Chidori please report to the parking lot? The class is waiting for you both, you lovebirds."

"Let's go, Sousuke." Kaname blushes furiously as she softly adds, "That was the greatest sex I've had since we started the pregnancy, honey."

"Roger. It was good for me as well." Kaname giggles at that as he takes her hand into his and softly squeezes it. "Shall we go?" Kaname gives him a quick nod as he pushes her wheelchair out of the classroom and they head out to their van. Once they get inside, with Sousuke behind the wheel, they start following the bus. Not knowing they're about to encounter an incident involving the Sho-Da-Kah.

Meanwhile, at the museum, a group of armed people, one of which is feminine in form, are preparing for their operation. Their objective is to find something that cannot be bought or sold, but easily stolen just the same.

"How are we going to find one of those 'things'? It'd be like finding a needle in a haystack."

"Easy. Kill enough people and we'll get what we're looking for." The others begin to protest but stop when the second man glares at them. As he looks over them, he sees they're all clad in black fatigues and wearing masks to conceal their identities. Much like he is.

The leader nods and says, "Look, just stick to the plan. Luckily, we have one such item with us, but it's not active right now. When it becomes active, that's when we'll find what we're looking for."

One of the members looks toward the form and shakes in anger. "Why, Simon? Why'd you have me do it?"

"Relax, Matthew. Think of it this way. When we pull this job off, you can have any dame you want. Forget about 'it' and move on."

"I can't, she's my wife." Matthew hotly retorts, "I have her. She's enough for me."

Simon gives the man a nasty look and says, "You listen and listen good, Matthew. 'It' has no emotions. All 'it' is good for is finding others like 'it'. Now, you're either in, or you're out. In which case, dead, with 'it' destroyed after we find what we're after." Bringing up a silenced pistol, Simon asks, "Which will it be?"

"I'm in." Mentally, Matthew adds, 'For now.'

On that note, the group disperses and conceal themselves in the surroundings. One group of three goes to the Mayan exhibit, another group of three goes to the Aztec. Their duty is guarding the students after separating their genders. The remainder of the group take positions along the corridor and staircase to await their prey.

Meanwhile, the class of Jindai High School is arriving at the museum, where they are greeted by the museum's curator, Ms Seina Yamashita. When the elderly woman sees Kaname's swollen belly as she exits the van, she scowls, walks over to them and lets her opinion be known.

"You have no business being pregnant, young lady. I suppose the Father's a no-good deadbeat that left you. Right?"

"Incorrect." Ms Yamashita turns and sees a scowling Sousuke. "I'm her Fiance and the baby's Father. If you have a problem with Kaname being pregnant, then you can go walk onto a minefield and get blown to bits." That gets a soft chuckle of agreement from Kaname and the other students. Even Miss Kagurazaka, Masatami and Tsubaki are highly amused by the comment.

"You? You're too young! You both are! Miss, I highly recommend you abort that child. Even more, find yourself a new guy. He's not good enough for you. I mean, look at his scar and his disheveled hair. It's hideous"

Hotly, yet gently, Kaname retorts, "Oh yes he is good enough for me. And then some. As for his scar, it's part of him. It means he's a bad-ass, not to be messed with by anyone. When it comes to his hair, he's waiting until this little guy comes out before getting it cut. You mess with him, you're playing with your life. Which could be the price. If anything here is hideous, it's you. I'm surprised you don't have warts on your nose, you ugly old hag."

"Why you little..." She's cut off when she suddenly feels the blade of Sousuke's combat knife under her chin. 'Damn, he's smooth. It's almost as if he does this for a living!' She can't help but gulp softly upon feeling the blade's sharpness.

He then says, "You badmouth myself or my Fiancee again, you will not live to regret it. After all, being obnoxious only shortens your lifespan." With that, he puts his blade back into his jacket sleeve, giving her a cold glare as he does so.

Looking into his cold-steel grey eyes, she gets the impression that he's quite serious and takes him at his word. Along with feeling a cold chill run up and down her spine. Quite frankly, she doesn't like the feeling. As they go inside, she sees Sousuke helping Kaname into a wheelchair and scowls again.

Five minutes later, when they get close to the Mayan exhibit, she begins. "Right within these walls is an extensive collection of rare antiquities dating back to the Mayan Empire, with the Aztec Empire exhibit three sections away. While I explain the items, you are not to speak until you are prompted to do so. Any questions?" Her manner is very stiff, along with her posture, prompting a series of snickers.

Snickering mentally herself, Miss Kagurazaka thinks, 'Yeah, I got one for ya. Who stuffed a dildo up your ass? If you did it yourself, I can understand why. You're not walking right, you snobbish old bitch.' She looks back over at Sousuke and Kaname. To her surprise, she sees the young woman's right eye twitching and the young man reaching towards his back. Possibly for his Glock.

In amusement, Miss Kagurazaka can't help but think, 'He's probably wanting to shoot the old windbag. Can't say I blame the Lieutenant. If I was in his shoes, I'd want to shoot her as well!'

As Kaname's eye twitches, she can't help but think, 'The nerve of that woman! Saying my Sousuke's not good or old enough to become a Father! Even insulting his scar! That's been with him ever since he was eight years old, for crying out loud! His hair? Various war zones, hello! It's not like they have barber shops in the hot zones he'd been to. Even scowling at me, just for being pregnant! What right did she have to tell me to get an abortion? We wanted this pregnancy and started it in Detroit!'

Sousuke's 'soldier' sense is beyond tingling. It's now at a full 'red alert' status. 'Something's going to happen. Soon! Just need to stay alert and watch for terrorist activity. Could they be after Kaname? If they are, they will not die well.' As the class approaches the doorway, he sees something in the situation change drastically. 'Not good!'

All of a sudden, the crisis begins, with the lead terrorist yelling, "All right, everyone, this is what's known as a hostage situation! I'm Simon! I'll be your captor for today! First order of business is isolating the boys from the girls! You cooperate and you'll be okay! Refuse and you won't be! Simple as that!"

'I'll never doubt his "soldier" sense again! I wish I was armed. What the?' Kaname feels a slight motion on her tailbone and recognizes the hand. 'Sousuke! It feels like he slipped me a gun. Maybe a Glock 26 from the feel of it.' She's then relieved to hear Sousuke's softest voice.

"I figured we'd be separated, Kaname. Are you still wearing your bracelet?" At her nod, he goes on. "Excellent. I slipped you a newly made Glock 26C, chambered in 9mm, loaded with 145-grain Hydro-shock hollowpoints. It's right in your skirt and concealed by your blouse. You have fifteen shots, with a round already chambered. May be overkill, but you may need it. I'll make my way back to you. Just stay alive and observant." At that, he walks away with the male members of the class.

"Be careful." When she doesn't hear him reply, she reaches behind her wheelchair, feels only air and giggles on the inside. 'Silent but deadly. Quick as lightning and strong as steel. Good luck, my warrior.' Suddenly, she starts snickering, sinisterly. 'This could be kinda fun. These bozos just bit off more than they can chew. Yes. After all, he's a Demolition Man.'

Standing beside her, Ren leans down and whispers, "Kinda reminds me of the time we were grabbed by the Ryujinkai and rescued that same night by Bonta-kun and his friends. Could Mr Sagara have had something to do with that, Miss Chidori?"

"You'll have to see for yourself, Ren."

At the Aztec exhibit, the male members of the class arrive there five minutes later. Simon turns to them and says, "All of you sit on the floor. If you need to use the restroom, now would be a good time to do so. I'm sure you need to empty your bladders right about now. But, if you try to escape, the man guarding you will not hesitate to shoot. Any takers?"

When he sees two hands raised, he chortles and says, "A pair of smart young guys that know the drill. I guess they had peed their pants before." His laughter goes even more insane as Sousuke and Masatami walk out with one of their 'Guards'.

Upon arrival in the restroom, Masatami and Sousuke go right to the toilets, where Sousuke begins his counter-assault while Masatami purges his bladder. Reaching into his uniform jacket, Sousuke brings out a silencer and affixes it to his Glock. Once the silencer is secured, he goes to work.

Masatami finishes relieving himself and is about to ask Sousuke what their chances of survival are. Next thing he knows, he hears something like a muffled pop and elects to stay put. While watching from the doorway, behind the closed door, he can see the terrorist's body fall to the floor. What he sees and hears next startles him.

As Sousuke opens the door for his stall, he sees the terrorist is facing away from the stalls. Taking his chance, he fires into the man's back, the muffled shot killing the terrorist instantly. Sousuke then exits the stall and heads for the corpse.

"Let's see what you've got here." When he gets to the corpse, he rifles through the pockets and finds a wallet with a fake ID. He can't help but shake his head in amusement as he says, "Someone's been watching 'Die Hard' a little too much."

After checking the corpse, Sousuke brings out his headset and says, "This Lt. Sagara, Urzu 7, B-3128. Get me Lt. Commander Kalinin or Captain Testarossa."

"_Kalinin."_

"Lt. Commander, hostage situation at the Tokyo Museum. The genders were separated. 'Angel' is without cover, but is armed at the moment. I've got one enemy dead, with more to go. Unsure as to how many at this time."

"_Roger. Are you secure?"_

"Affirmative. Somewhat. I have an innocent civilian in the restroom with me, but he's a bit timid. Can't say I blame him either."

"_I see. Is it Mr Hyuga?"_

"Affirmative, sir."

"_Very well. For the time being, do what you can, Lieutenant. Persuade Mr Hyuga to stay put. If it means knocking him out, go for it. Sgt Weber and Sgt Major Mao are out in the field on assignment right now, so they can't give you assistance. You're on your own while we alert them. Good luck. Kalinin out."_

"Urzu 7, roger." Once Sousuke had put the headset back into place, he turns his attention to Masatami's stall. "Come on out, Masatami."

Opening the door, Masatami can't help but pale even more upon seeing the corpse on the floor. "He's not really dead, is he?"

"He is."

"What are you, Sousuke? Some kind of war hero or spy?"

"Not exactly. More like a mercenary. Masatami, I want you to listen to me very carefully. I want you to stay put. Right here until this mess is cleared up. Understood?" Upon seeing Masatami nod in reply, he nods right back and adds, "What you heard never leaves here. Understood?"

"Yes sir." As an afterthought, he adds, "But, I want to overcome my timidness. Any chance I can help?"

"Well, oftentimes, an amateur's attack can be more devastating to the enemy than a trained soldier. Are you sure you can handle it? Your diet has paid off well." At his eager nod, Sousuke can only chuckle. "All right. If you want to help, hide when I tell you and shoot when I tell you."

"Okay. But, I've never fired a gun before."

"Roger." Slipping out a handgun and placing it into the youth's hand, he says, "This is a Taurus 24/7, chambered in 9mm. There's a round already chambered and the safety's on. Just flip the safety down and squeeze the trigger. The magazine can hold seventeen rounds total, so make every shot count."

"Okay." Putting the Taurus down his uniform pants, he covers it with his jacket. "What's first, Lieutenant?"

"I.T.I.A. Isolate. Terminate. Infiltrate. Annihilate. One of the best and often-used tactics in the history of warfare. Also, my favorite tactic for situations like this."

With that, the two young men begin their counterattack. Dressing in the dead terrorist's clothing, Sousuke and Masatami exit the restroom, with Masatami in front of Sousuke as a prisoner while Sousuke's dressed as one of the terrorists.

Soon after leaving the restroom, they encounter another terrorist, feminine in form. Not wanting to take the chance, he indicates for Masatami to go over to her and takes up concealment. Watching Masatami walk fifteen feet toward the female form, Sousuke is starting to ponder if Masatami would benefit from military training after all.

"Excuse me, Miss Terrorist?" When the terrorist turns around, Masatami waves his hands from his ears, sticks out his tongue and says, "You can't catch me! Nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah!" Laughing, Masatami starts running away from the enraged female and right toward a concealed Sousuke, who's having a hard time suppressing his chuckles.

'Some training certainly would help him rein it in some. Those kinds of antics can often get someone killed. No matter how old they are!'

Nearing Sousuke's position, Masatami slows down and makes like he's feeling dizzy. "I've got you now, you little brat!" Taking Masatami's arm, the woman snarls, "I don't know if I should shoot you or spank you, you little brat! You must make your Mother very proud of you."

"Oh, I'm sure she is. After all, she always told me I don't have to be nice to terrorists." As they walk toward the Aztec exhibit, Sousuke comes out of concealment to right behind her, covers her mouth, uses his knife and slits the form's throat. When the corpse is on the floor, he removes the corpse's mask. Upon seeing her face, his eyes bolt open in shock.

'That's the woman that sold us our van two months ago! She lived fairly close to our apartment and said she was dying of cancer. I had a strange feeling about her, but I just put it out of my mind, storing it for future reference. I should have analyzed her story even further. Dammit!'

"Sousuke? What is it?"

"Just that I saw this woman before, Masatami. About two months ago, when Kaname and I got our van. It seems she was no innocent, but part of this conspiracy. But, that's then. This is now. How does it feel? Helping to kill an evil person?"

"Like I'm gonna puke."

"I felt the same way in Afghanistan, when I was only eight years old, Masatami. It's perfectly natural."

After leaving the female corpse, Sousuke and Masatami come across a terrorist that's examining an old ten-foot tall stone tablet, being completely oblivious to what's going on around him. Remembering an amusing scene from a cartoon, they walk to the other side of the stone and, with some effort, start pushing it to the point it starts rocking.

The terrorist sees the stone rocking and says, "Hey, this is an antique, man. It weighs about 250 pounds. Be careful." Looking to the other side, he can see someone dressed as one of his comrades and another person with him. "Aren't you guys listening to me? I said be careful, guys!"

Laughing evilly, Sousuke retorts, "We are being careful. We're on this side. You're on that side." With one more push, the tablet falls over and flattens the screaming terrorist, causing blood to spray everywhere. "You see? We were being careful while you weren't." With that, they walk away from the scene, looking for more terrorists to hurt or even kill.

As they search, Masatami says, "That was quite logical. After all, it's no use arguing with logic like that."

"About what?"

"You know. Rocking stone, being on one side and the person another. But, what if it'd been the other way around?"

"Then this would have been the shortest counter-terrorist operation I had engaged in. Not to mention your first and last."

Masatami can't help but sarcastically ask, "You're just full of good news, aren't ya?"

"Affirmative."

Two minutes later, Masatami asks, "Sousuke, what kind of knife was that anyway? That day in the villa?"

"A Kukri, standard issue for soldiers in India's Military forces."

"Did you fight there too?"

"Affirmative."

In the room with the Mayan exhibit, Kaname and Kyoko are helping to keep everyone calm. They had heard the scream and a stone fall just now and are starting to panic. Miss Kagurazaka got up into Ms Yamashita's' face and started yelling at the woman three minutes after the guys had left, only to be slapped by the elderly woman. Right now, the elderly woman is threatening her job.

One of the terrorists turns and sees Kaname trying to stay cool. He can't help but notice her condition at all. "Young miss, is there any way we can make you comfortable? You look like you're about due to give birth."

"Matter of fact, yeah I am and there is. You can let us all go. If you let us go, there's a very good chance you won't be judged. Too harshly, anyways."

"Silence, prisoner!" Simon had seen him try to keep the peace and heard the blue-haired girl tell him what he can do. Turning to his underling, he says, "We are the Sho-Da-Kah, Matthew. You're not supposed to be nice to our hostages."

"There's no rule that says you can't at least be pleasant to them, Simon. It's to give them something to look forward to for their departure from here. Besides, I didn't want to join you. I was shanghaied."

'The Sho-Da-Kah? What are they doing here? I hope Sousuke heard that last part of it. This guy deserves a chance to live peacefully. He doesn't want to do this at all. He's an innocent.'

Simon retorts, "The only time anyone's going anywhere is when we find what we're looking for, Matthew. Besides, while Team Hawk is being occupied in Metro, this will serve our purposes well."

Nervously, and having a feeling she knows, Kaname asks, "What exactly are you looking for?"

Simon removes his mask, revealing a Caucasian man with straight blond hair and blue eyes, turns toward her, a leer on his lips, and replies, "A 'Whispered'. A freak of nature. Problem is, the only way to find a freak is with another one. We have one, in the lower levels. At last check, she's still asleep. The toxin should be wearing off soon. Once it's worn off, she'll resonate with the nearest 'Whispered' and we'll have what we're looking for."

'Oh great. He's after me and he's even calling myself and others like me a freak. It's a good thing I didn't tell anyone about my being a "Whispered". If I did, we'd all be screwed!' Behind her, Ren gets curious and starts pondering.

'Miss Chidori seems quite nervous, but it's probably from the pregnancy. But, she did say she was abducted several times before due to a particular idiot. Could it be Mr Sagara? If so, what's his connection? Unless, he's here for a specific purpose. But, what could it be? Is Miss Chidori in some kind of danger?'

Simon then grunts and says, "Bring her a couch and put her onto it, very gently. After all, we're mercenaries, not barbarians." Little does the man realize that every word he'd said is being transmitted to an earpiece. One that's worn by a very angry Mithril warrior. Next thing Simon knows, he gets an urge to call his cohorts.

As Sousuke listens, his mind goes rampant with thoughts. 'The Sho-Da-Kah is active here and in Metro. They are after Kaname and don't even realize it. Let's hope it stays that way. Even more, they have an innocent involved. This is not good. This is really not good. Then again, I'm not much better.'

Sousuke then growls loudly, not caring if Masatami hears it or not. "Sousuke? You want me to bow out of this? If you do, I understand. I'm just a bit too scared right now, anyway."

"Fear keeps you aware and alert. Facing that fear is the challenge. Never hesitate. Hesitation can mean life or death for anyone. Be they novice or highly-skilled." Turning to his companion, Sousuke asks, "Still want out?"

Bringing out the Taurus and running his fingers along the slide, he says, "No sir. In fact, I think we should kick some more ass." Next thing they know, they hear the terrorist's radio squawking.

"_Nils. Nils, where are you? Respond Nils."_ Sousuke and Masatami can't help but grin at the radio that they had secured from the corpse. Sousuke then brings it out and begins.

"Nils is dead, Nils is dead. I think I shot him in the back."

"_Hans, is that you? Where is Ilsa?"_

"Negative. Hans is dead as well, as is your female comrade. I think he's a bloody pancake while your female cohort had some unexpected neck surgery."

"_Who is this? Identify yourself."_

With an Austrian accent, he replies,"I am a 'Terminator'. With me is my buddy 'Kashim', you brain-dead mutant scum-sucker with skunk breath. You and your friends have been targeted for termination. By us. Now, since we're making chit-chat, who are you?" He manages to release the button in time to keep Masatami's chuckling off the air, chuckling himself.

"_I'm Simon. I'm your superior in every aspect. So just surrender and I'll kill you quickly."_

Keeping up the accent, he replies, "Negative and fuck you, asshole. Our military might exceeds yours by a massive margin. So if anyone's superior, it's us. You have no chance in Hell against us, you loser jerk-off. Is that understood, Shithead Simon? We're going to send you and your buddies straight down to hell. It won't be a problem for us."

"_Surely we can discuss this rationally."_

Returning to his regular voice, he says, "Don't call me 'Shirley', asshole. You had and blew your chance to be rational before you started this mess." With that, he remembers a classic line from 'Die Hard' and snickers, saying, "Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker." Masatami snickers as well as he waves to talk to him. "Oh, 'Kashim' wants to talk to you." Handing him the radio, Sousuke adds, "Make it a good one."

"You got it, sir." Now smiling gleefully, Masatami then clears his throat and, remembering his favorite cartoon character, says, "Be very, very quiet. We're hunting terrorists. Hahahahaha."

Simon's voice sounds so incensed with his reply of,_"Find them and kill them! Now!"_

When Sousuke sees five of the terrorists' friends coming, he brings up one of his fragmentation grenades. Pulling the grenade's pin with his teeth, he throws it and ducks them both into a nearby closet. He manages to get the door closed just before the grenade blows.

"Now that was a blast."

"Hmm, affirmative."

Inside the Aztec exhibit, Shinji, Ono-D and Tsubaki are grinning like madmen. They had heard Sousuke's radio message and taunt to the terrorists' leader, along with Masatami's comment. They find the comment so amusing, they tell the other male members of the class.

"Sousuke is the best person to deal with this mess. Kick that motherfucker's ass, Sousuke. And please watch over Masatami." Before Tsubaki can ask what Shinji's talking about, there's an explosion.

In the Mayan Exhibit, upon hearing their communication, Kaname is smiling softly, thinking, 'Go get 'em, Masatami and Sousuke!' When she hears the explosion, she softly giggles and strokes her belly again. 'They got some more that time. Your Daddy and Masatami are kicking major ass, baby. In some ways, I hope you have your Daddy's fighting spirit. You'd be a bad-ass as well! I also hope Masatami doesn't rub off on him. And vice-versa.'

Meanwhile, Simon is getting an update from his cohorts in Metro. _"It's the silver mystery car! It's met up with Team Hawk and they wiped out two of the operations! Even more, one of our trucks seem to have mysteriously taken flight and is coming our way. No! Allah Akbar!"_ The sound of gunfire and an explosion comes from the radio just before the signal goes dead.

"Metro? Metro, do you copy? Metro? Dammit!" Simon slams his foot down and scowls. "I want to know everything about this 'Terminator' and 'Kashim'. Undoubtedly, they're aliases of some kind."

Kaname can't help but snicker, thinking, 'Only one thing I know of that improves the levitation potential of big rigs. M9s, cloaked with ECS. Way to go Team Hawk, mystery car and Mithril!'

Back out in the hallway, Sousuke takes a peek outside the door and grins evilly at the sight. Five bodies on the floor, twitching in pain or still in death. Suddenly, he sees twelve more armed men heading their way. 'More incoming. This could take a while. Unless...' Turning to Masatami, Sousuke nods toward the ventilation shaft, hoping Masatami will understand. Sure enough, he does.

Back in the Mayan exhibit, Kaname is getting anxious to get out of there because she's feeling the baby within her move more frequently. Suddenly, she lets out a yelp of pain.

"Kaname!" Kyoko tries to go over to her friend, but is stopped by Ms Yamashita. "Let me go to her! She may in labor and she's my friend! She needs help!"

Smiling maliciously, the woman retorts, "No. She needs to lose the baby. It'll be better for her that way!"

"Are you nuts? Get off of me, you crazy old woman!" Kyoko then slaps the woman silly. As the woman goes unconscious, Kyoko goes to Kaname's side. "I'm here, Kana-chan. I'm here."

Kaname begins panting as she says, "Kyoko, I think my water broke. Oh, Sousuke! Where's Sousuke? Masatami's with him!"

"Sousuke's working still right now, Kaname. I'm guessing Masatami's working with him as well. Here, every time you feel a contraction, I want you to squeeze something. I know just the thing too." She turns to the kind and shanghaied terrorist from earlier and asks, "Any chance you can drag that loud windbag over here, please? My friend's in labor and needs to squeeze a hand with every contraction."

The reluctant terrorist, having had seen the exchange between Ms Yamashita and Kyoko, is only too happy to accommodate and drags the woman over to Kaname's side. When he puts the woman's hand into Kaname's, he softly smirks down at her.

"Congratulations." Kaname's labor pains are too great for her to reply, so he brings out a handkerchief and hands it to Kyoko. "Here. Use this to wipe her brow with. From the looks of things, I'd say she'll be giving birth here in a bit." Next thing he knows, there's another explosion. This time from the broom closet that the bodies were lying at.

Over the radio, a voice says, _"They're goners this time for sure. They got twelve this last time, only they bought the farm as well. No one could have survived that." _The voice is so muffled, no one even knew who it was that was speaking. Not even Kaname.

'Oh no. Sousuke! Masatami!' Turning her attention to the unconscious woman's hand, she snarls, "This is all your fault!" Giving it a sudden and tight squeeze with the contraction, she awakens the elderly woman, who then screams at the pain of her fingers breaking. Upon feeling the bones break, Kaname thinks, 'Because of your snooty attitude, my Fiance and his friend may be dead! So you deserve this pain!'

Next thing she and the others know, the remaining terrorists come in, the male classmates in tow, and take up positions. One of them looks over at Kaname and gives her a short nod. Another one breaks ranks, eyes a blue-painted Mayan vase and swings his rifle's butt-stock against it, shattering the ancient pottery. Needless to say, the short nod and the breaking vase gets Kaname's attention. Along with her classmates and angering Yamashita, who then pries her hand out of Kaname's and stomps over to the terrorist.

Maya sees the man break the vase and gulps. "He looks really pissed off right about now."

As Yamashita yells at the terrorist that had broken the vase, Kaname quietly chuckles as she replies, "He's still alive. That maniac's still alive."

Curious, Mizuki asks, "Kaname?"

"Only Sousuke can drive someone that crazy." Nudging her head toward the entrance, she softly says, "Sousuke. I can only hope Masatami's alive as well." Kyoko nods and giggles in agreement, as do Mizuki, Ren and Maya, just as another contraction hits Kaname. Seconds later, all hell breaks loose.

From his position, Simon makes the call on his radio for the remaining men on his squad to bring the other hostages to the Mayan exhibit. When they get to the Mayan exhibit, he watches his colleague smash the vase and the next minute all is pure darkness.

When Sousuke sees Kaname, he begins feeling relieved that his 'Angel' is intact still. Next thing he knows, one of the terrorists breaks an old vase, prompting Yamashita to begin yelling.

His plan was difficult to say the least. First, he had to cut a hole in the wall to wedge the grenade into like a crude Claymore mine. Then, he tied a piece of string from the pin to the doorknob and had exited the room through the ceiling vent. Joining up with Masatami, he directed the youth toward another part of the hallway.

By the time the explosion happened, they had already hit the floor, a considerable distance from the Mayan exhibit. He then gave them the report of their 'demise'. When he had heard the radio call, he used that to infiltrate their ranks even more. After having convinced Masatami to hide and snipe with his pistol, he walked into the room right behind the others.

When he sees her in pain, Sousuke puts it together, thinking, 'Kaname's in labor. If we're to strike, we'd better do it now.' Taking aim from the hip and using his Glock's laser-sight, Sousuke aims right at the leader's head and fires.

When he sees the lead terrorist's head vanish in a crimson mist, Sousuke removes his mask, brings up his SPP and starts to fire controlled bursts into ten of the terrorists. The kind terrorist grins as he tosses his weapon down and gets down onto the floor. Sousuke's classmates, teacher and Yamashita can only gape as they watch Sousuke fire with precision.

As she watches, Ren thinks, 'Only the best-trained soldiers are capable of such precise firing. Which brings up another topic. Whose side is Mr Sagara on? Could he be a hero that no one knows about?'

Outside the room, Masatami's targeting and shooting the terrorists that come into his sight. As he shoots, he thinks, 'Who's your Daddy? I'm your Daddy, you bastards!' Next thing he knows, he hears Kaname's shout.

"Sousuke!"

What they see next angers and horrifies Sousuke. One of the remaining terrorists begins taking aim at Kaname's belly and stops when Kyoko kicks him between the legs. When the terrorist aims at Kyoko, Sousuke can't get a clear shot. Next thing he knows, he hears gunfire coming from Kaname's position.

Kaname can't help but growl, thinking, 'You're not touching her, you filthy piece of shit!' She reaches into the back of her skirt and brings out the 26C, opening fire once she gets a lock on her target's back.

In three shots, the last armed terrorist falls to the floor dead and Kaname lies back down, the Glock in hand still, only for her to jolt back up in pain as another contraction comes up on her. "Sousuke, get over here, you otaku knucklehead! I'm in labor!"

"Coming, dear!" Once Sousuke gets to her side, he hears Kaname gasp and sees her wincing in sympathy.

"Sousuke, you poor thing. You look a little banged up."

"Yeah? Well, you look a little knocked up." Kaname and Sousuke share a quick giggle as another contraction hits. "Okay. Let's get you to the Hospital, honey. Remember your breathing."

Kaname nods in agreement and says, "Sousuke, you may want to make sure there aren't any more."

"Roger. Masatami, in here." Turning to the reluctant terrorist, he points his SPP skyward and says, "This is your lucky day, pal. Any more in your party?" Watching Masatami sweep the room, Sousuke can only shake his head in mild amusement.

"No. You got them all. Just for the record, I thought this was a lousy and shitty idea."

"Since you gave up, I suppose you get to live. If there's anything else, just say so." As an afterthought, he asks, "What's your name?"

"Actually, there is. My wife. She's down in the basement. I gotta get to her. My name's Matt Carson."

"Roger, Matt Carson. Go to her and never stop cherishing her. Masatami, go with him."

Masatami nods and replies, "You got it, sir." Handing the Taurus back to Sousuke, he smirks and adds, "Glad I could be of help, sir." Sousuke nods at the youth and reaches for Kaname's wheelchair.

"Thank you." The 'reborn' man looks over at Kaname and says, "You've got a good man here."

"I know, and I'm very glad for that. Oww." Giving Sousuke a light glare, Kaname then says, "Let's get going, you maniac."

"Roger." Helping Kaname back into her wheelchair, he hastens her out the door and into their van. "It's a good thing we put your bag in the van, honey."

"I'll say, Sousuke. Ow, hurry."

"Roger." With that, Sousuke drives the van out of the museum's parking lot at a high rate of speed, catching the attention of a Police cruiser. When he sees it's lights turn on, he looks over at Kaname and says, "I hate to say this, but I hope it's Wakana behind us."

Next thing he knows, the cruiser comes up beside him, revealing the driver. Sure enough, it is Wakana. "It's time!" Wakana nods and gets in front of the van, giving them an escort to Tokyo General.

Upon arrival, they pull into the Emergency entrance and Orderlies help Kaname out of the van. Once she's inside, Sousuke then moves it so it wouldn't be in the way of other vehicles. Along with so he can get rid of his remaining ordnance other than his combat knife and Glock. Once he gets everything secured, he runs toward the building.

"Sousuke, wait!" Turning around, he sees Wakana grinning from behind her wheel. "What's going on?"

"There was a situation at the museum. Terrorists took hostages. Almost all the terrorists are dead, but one cooperated. I want you to do your best for him."

"You got it!" Wakana nods as she heads for the museum. As she drives, she thinks, 'Mithril or not, he'd make a heck of a cop!'

Fifteen minutes later, she approaches the museum and sees the person Sousuke told her about, standing with a young boy and a woman with green hair. "You the remaining terrorist?"

Matt nods and replies, "I am. This is my wife, Sarah. I'm ready to be arrested, ma'am. In my defense, I'd like to say I was forced into it."

"I see. All right. You can give your statements while we go to the Hospital. Any terrorists alive still?"

Masatami shakes his head and replies, "No, Officer. All that are left are corpses and frightened students. Mostly."

"You mean I missed the gun-play?" At their sympathetic nods, she gets out of her cruiser and starts banging her head against her hood. "Man, I knew I should have done a quick drive-by here earlier." Matt and Masatami both grin at each other and turn to see if Sarah is as well. Instead, they see her with her arms crossed and a cross expression on her face.

"I want to know exactly what happened, you two. So spill it!"

Meanwhile, Sousuke is inside the Hospital and going right to the 3rd floor, not willing to let anyone stand in his way. Sure enough, someone tries stopping him once he sets foot onto the floor. A female Doctor grabs his arm, just as he's getting close to the door for the Delivery Room.

"No unauthorized personnel beyond this point!"

"My Fiancee's having a baby! She needs me! I couldn't need more authorization than that!"

"What's her name?"

"Chidori. Kaname Chidori."

"Your name?"

"Sagara. Sousuke Sagara. Her Doctor's name is Dr. Hikaru Tanaka."

"All right. But, you'll have to scrub up. She's fully-dilated, which means the kid's going to be coming out very soon."

"Roger." Five minutes later, as soon as Sousuke's scrubbed and suited up, he comes across another sight. "Oh no. No, no, no. Not you."

Dr. Ching smiles warmly at him and asks, "Isn't this exciting?"

"I've already had a fair-sized amount of excitement today, thank you. Right now, I want as little mayhem as possible. Where's Dr Tanaka at?"

"She's at another Hospital, across town, working the Maternity Ward today. I figured you'd want that as much. You better go on in. She's been screaming 'Not until Sousuke gets here'. She can be very loud when she wants to be."

"I had a feeling she'd say something like that." With that, Sousuke goes in, with Dr. Ching going right to the sink, and goes right to his beloved's side. "How're you feeling, Kaname?"

Panting, Kaname replies, "I need something, Sousuke. It's hurting my back."

"Roger. I'll consult the Doctor right quick." Going to Dr. Ching's side, he says, "You gotta do something for Kaname's back pain. She's in sheer agony."

"Okay, okay, okay. Let's see. Oh, I got it." She then goes to Kaname's bedside and says, "Nurse, this woman needs an enema."

Both Sousuke and Kaname ask, "An enema?" They then look at each other and share the same thought. 'We are dealing with a bozo! Not good!'

"Um, pedicure?"

The attending Nurse asks, "Pedicure? This is a Hospital delivery room, not a damned beauty parlor!"

"Epitaph?"

Sousuke yells, "She's not dead, you loony!"

Kaname finally screams, "Epidural, you whacked-out lunatic bitch! Sousuke, why couldn't you get Tessa or Dr Goldberry?" She collapses back onto the birthing table, her body shaking from the labor pains.

"They're both a little busy at the moment." Taking her hand into his, he says, "Steel boats, iron men."

"I'll show you steel boats and iron men, you otaku nut!" Giving him a strained smile, she recalls what he means and says, "'Robert McKenzie' from the Due South soundtrack, volume two. Very appropriate for the earlier situation, I believe."

"Hmm, affirmative."

Meanwhile, the class at Jindai High are arriving and going into the Waiting Room. Ren, Kyoko, Mizuki, and Maya start sitting patiently with the other girls in their class and Miss Kagurazaka while Shinji, Tsubaki and Ono-D are pacing back and forth like expectant Fathers. The other males in the class had decided to go home on foot while the other girls in the class elect to wait until their rides pick them up.

Thirty minutes later, Ms Yamashita arrives to be admitted for treatment of a broken hand. Along with Matt, Masatami and Sarah, with Wakana in tow and taking their statements.

An hour and a half later, when Kyoko hears footsteps, she turns around, hoping it's Sousuke announcing his being a Father. Instead, she sees Officer Wakana and Masatami.

Wakana, feeling anxious, asks, "Any word yet?"

"No. Not yet. So, what happened anyways? The museum, I mean."

Wakana replies, "According to our star witness, it was a plot by a group called the Sho-Da-Kah. It seems they were getting tired of being defeated constantly. Team Hawk shut down four operations in one blow and one spot. Over in Metro, no less. Sousuke and Masatami, it seems, got this one bunch."

Six hours later, the other classmates had been picked up, leaving Ren, Kyoko, Maya, Mizuki, Masatami, Shinji, Tsubaki, Ono-D and Wakana to maintain a 'birth-watch'. When Atsunobu arrives, Ren briefs him on what had happened, prompting him to nod his approval.

"He's very effective for an otaku, Miss Mikihara."

"Yes. But, wouldn't it be even better if he wasn't an otaku? As in, an actual soldier and hero."

Next thing everyone knows, they hear delighted chittering from a rodent. Looking down, they see a pink face with a buck-toothed smile. Puzzled, Wakana scratches her head and says, "Oh wow. Look at this. A naked mole rat."

"Hey. You're one of the only people that know what kind of animal Rufus is. Badical." When Wakana turns around, she sees a group of unfamiliar faces. "Hi. I'm Ron Stoppable, this is my wife, Kim. Right behind us we have Hirotaka and Bonnie Rockwaller. With them is Jessica Mach and retired Police Commissioner Leo Altobelli. He was with the LAPD."

Wakana bows to Altobelli and, in English, says, "Officer Yoko Wakana, Sengawa District Police. It's nice to meet you, Commissioner. Along with the Stoppables, Rockwallers and Miss Mach."

Altobelli bows in reply and says, "Likewise, Officer Wakana."

Ron nods before grimacing as he says, "We heard about the crisis at the museum during the flight here. Is everyone all right?"

Kyoko nods and replies, "Yep. Not a scratch, Ron. How're your children doing?"

Kim smiles and says, "They're doing fine, Kyoko. They're being watched by a friend of ours right now so we could fly over for the birth and wedding. It's so not the drama."

Ono-D sees Bonnie and, thinking he could charm her, slicks his hair back, slightly. "Hello. I'm Dotaro Onodera. But my friends call me Ono-D."

"Bonnie Rockwaller. This is my husband, Hirotaka. It's nice to finally meet you, Ono-D." Relishing his crushed expression slightly, she softly smiles and adds, "You'll find someone, Ono-D. Just stay yourself. Now, which one of you is Mizuki Inaba?"

"That'd be me." Before Mizuki can go any further, they hear footsteps approaching steadily. With baited breaths, they begin hoping it's Sousuke. Sure enough it is, but with his usual somber look. "Sousuke? Is everything all right?" Much to everyone's surprise, Sousuke begins smiling.

"Affirmative. Mother and son are doing well. It's not a problem." Next thing they know, Sousuke falls toward the floor, exhausted, only to be caught by Wakana and Ron.

As they put Sousuke into a chair, Kyoko giggles as she snaps a picture of him. When Sousuke groggily rolls his head, he sees Wakana, Altobelli and Ron looking anxiously at him. "Hey, how's it going, Ron?"

"It's going fine, Sousuke. Congrats to you. I'd like you to meet Leo Altobelli, retired LAPD Commissioner."

Sousuke salutes and replies, "Sir."

Remembering what his Team Hawk friends had told him, Altobelli replies, "Nice to meet you, son. You did a damn fine job holding your own against them. For a teenage otaku, you show great potential." Altobelli then gives Sousuke a soft wink.

Sousuke catches the wink and replies, "Thank you, sir."

Wakana then nods and says, "Before we go any further, I have some remarks for Mr Sagara that are for his ears alone."

"All right." Once they're alone, Sousuke asks, "What's the status of the terrorist that surrendered?"

"He's in protective custody as a material and the star witness. Both he and his wife. It seems he was forced to join a group called the 'Sho-Da-Kah'. Do you know anything about it?"

"Just that Team Hawk and Mithril had faced off against them in Shanghai. I was there as well, Officer Wakana." With that, Sousuke begins telling Wakana the whole thing. Except, of course, for the members of Team Hawk being right in the Hospital as well. After all, a mentally unhinged Police Officer that knows about Mithril is one thing. But one that knows about Mithril and Team Hawk member names? That's a mess just waiting to happen.

Once Wakana gets done, Sousuke's Team Hawk friends come inside, having told his classmates they need to talk to him in private. Altobelli had elected to remain outside to speak with Sousuke's classmates.

Out in the hallway, Kyoko giggles as Shinji asks, "How'd you meet Ron and Kim, Mr Altobelli? Along with the Rockwallers and Ms Mach?"

"They came to L.A. for vacation. They came across a snag and I just happened to have been there. Ms Mach, on the other hand, came to meet her Father. But she was too late. He died before she was even born."

Maya frowns upon hearing it and says, "Oh. How awful. How'd he die?"

"He died in the line of duty. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you any more than that, Miss." He then smiles softly as he adds, "If it's any consolation, she's just like her old man."

Inside the room, Kim smiles at Sousuke and says, "Sorry it took us so long to get to you, Sousuke. But the sitch in Metro had higher priority."

"I see, Kim. What happened, anyway? Masatami and I only got bits and pieces of the communication between the terrorists and the goons in Metro."

Ron replies, "The Sho-Da-Kah was tired of us kicking their asses all the time and decided to start kicking ours. We think we got the remaining command structure, according to the last contact tapped into. Only time will tell, though. Of course, the first contact was in Afghanistan. So there may be some bozos over there still."

"Ah, my old stomping grounds. Well, if you need an assist, just give me a buzz."

Jessica nods and replies, "Roger that."

An hour later, Kaname is in a private Hospital room, holding Sousuke Jr in her arms as she nurses him. As the newborn suckles from her right breast, Kaname giggles as she recalls the glorious moment.

_(An hour and a half ago)_

"_One more push, Kaname! One more! You're in the home stretch now, sweetheart!" Kaname had elected to forget about the epidural and settled for natural childbirth. Of course, Sousuke's hand was bearing the brunt of her grips, but he handled them without much difficulty. Next thing she knew, they both heard the wails of their baby and Sousuke was kissing her. _

"_You did it, honey. You made it."_

"_No, Sousuke. We made it, my love. My dream came true, sort of."_

"_Affirmative. I had seen combat in country and you went into labor due to the stress of it. It's not a problem." Kaname then giggled and kissed her beau intensely before looking to see about getting a glimpse of the baby._

"_Mr. Sagara?" Both teens saw a softly smiling Dr Ching as she added, "It's a tradition for the Father."_

"_What is, ma'am?"_

"_Cutting the umbilical cord, sir."_

"_Roger." What happened next, Kaname would never forget. No matter how hard she'd try. Sousuke brought out his combat knife and sliced the already tied-off cord after sterilizing the black serrated combat blade with rubbing alcohol. It only took him thirty seconds to do it. _

_Sousuke then grinned and said, "All right. It's done. What's next?" Much to his surprise, Dr. Ching had fainted at the use of a combat knife when she was about to offer Sousuke the use of the proper medical utensil. "Lightweight."_

"Sousuke, you nut." Kaname giggles as she comes out of the memory. Looking down at the tiny bundle still suckling from her nipple, she begins cooing at the baby, saying, "That's it, baby. Mommy's not going to hurt you. She'll just save it for Daddy." Closing her eyes and smiling as she feels the baby suckling, she remembers what had happened after the birth.

_After Dr Ching had fainted, Sousuke left the room to deliver the good news. Thing was, he looked like he was exhausted. Of course, he had every right to be. After all, he had faced off against a group of terrorists nearly single-handedly and handled himself rather well. Along with helping Masatami become brave. Especially when he was disguised as a terrorist, allowing him to nearly wipe them all out._ _Even more surprising to her, and everyone else, one of them gave up when Sousuke and Masatami started their final assault and actually looked happy about it being over._

"Let this be a lesson to you, baby. The world is full of strange people. Some are nice, some are downright nasty. Luckily, your Daddy is of the combination type. Nice to his friends, nasty to his enemies. Let's just hope Masatami doesn't soak up too much otaku nonsense." Her musing are cut short as the room's door opens and Sousuke steps through it.

"Hi Kaname. How're you feeling?" Kaname looks up at him and smiles softly.

"Hi, Sousuke. I'm feeling fantastic." Returning her attention to their son, she asks, "Isn't he just the cutest little boy?"

Getting a look at his newborn son, currently latched onto his beloved's bosom, he blushes as he replies, "Hmm, affirmative. In any case, our American friends are waiting to see you. Plus one more that knows them. It seems they'd seen some heavy action, involving the you-know-what. Just thought I'd give you a heads up."

"I figured as much. I hope that bunch is gone now. The world can certainly do without the Sho-Da-Kah."

"Agreed. Other than the possibly remaining command structure in Afghanistan, it's wiped out. Also, Kyoko's wanting to take some pictures of us together."

"Afghanistan, huh? Right where you started your career as a warrior." Kaname smirks before asking, "Do they have the location?" At his soft nod, she grins and says, "Let's drop a nuke on their asses, Sousuke."

"Sounds like a plan, Kaname. Problem is, the information's three weeks old." Shaking his head in bemusement, he then asks, "Ready for your first picture as a Mother?"

"Good old Kyoko. Undoubtedly, she wants it for her scrapbook, along with our first pictures. Okay. Just let me get this little guy's mouth off my nipple so I can cover back up. Any chance you can hold him while I cover myself back up?"

"Roger." At that, the new Father picks up his newborn son from Kaname's arms and chuckles. "He's so tiny. Hi, son. Who's the cute little boy, huh? Who's the cute little boy?" Next thing he knows, he starts babbling nonsensically. He catches his babbling nonsense and Kaname's soft giggles of amusement. "Oh dear. Specialists don't engage in this kind of behavior. Not good. This is really not good."

As she covers her chest back up, she softly smiles as she replies, "It's okay, Sousuke. After all, how many Specialists actually become Fathers within two or three years?"

"As far as I know, I'm the only one." At Kaname's nod, he goes on. "Then again, there aren't very many Specialists out there that are willing to risk everything for love. Because they haven't tried it before." Without warning, Sousuke tilts forward and catches himself. Barely, as Kaname had seen him tilt as well.

"That's right, Sousuke. Here. Why don't you sit down and take a load off? You look like you're about to nod off. That fight must have really drained you."

"Roger. It did." With that, Sousuke has a seat facing her, yawns and nods right off, still holding the infant in his arms securely.

Highly amused, Kaname smirks as she says, "Sousuke Jr, meet your Father. He may not be sociable, suave or even smooth. But he will love you all the way. No matter where his duties take him or how many evil people he has to kill, he will love you."

Next thing she knows, there's a knock at the door. "Come in." Much to her surprise, Ren, Kyoko, Mizuki and Maya come in and go right to her side while Shinji, Masatami, Tsubaki, Atsunobu and Ono-D go right to Sousuke's. "Hey guys."

"How're you feeling, Kaname?"

"Just fantastic, Maya. A little sore, but fantastic." Next thing Kaname knows, she hears the guys chuckling and snickering loudly. "Shh, quiet. You'll wake Sousuke. He just nodded off before you got to me." The guys quietly nod and start making silly faces towards the infant. "You guys are going to scare the baby like that. You know what Sousuke does to people that do that kind of thing."

"Kaname, we're in a Hospital. What can he do?" Next thing Ono-D knows, he feels a sharp tip against his thigh. Nervously chuckling, he says, "Let me guess. Skilled knife-fighter that can do so with his eyes closed."

"That's affirmative." Sousuke then looks up and grins, adding, "But I've had enough bloodshed for today. Right now, we need to finish up our wedding plans." Next thing he knows, he yawns and says, "Think I'll sleep on it some more." When he looks over at Kaname, he sees that she's fallen back asleep, a content smile on her face. "She looks so angelic when she's both asleep and awake."

Atsunobu can only nod as he replies, "She's all worn out, Mr Sagara. Of course, can't really say I blame her. About eight hours in labor, bringing this little guy into the world. She has every right to be. Thinking of, the Stoppables, Rockwallers, Ms Mach and Mr Altobelli are still waiting. Should we tell them you're both sleeping right now?"

Sousuke grins as he replies, "Affirmative, sir. Thank you. Miss Inaba, would you like to hold my son?" Much to his surprise, Mizuki's face beams at it, her grey eyes going suddenly moist.

"As our class otaku would say, 'Affirmative'. I'd be delighted to hold him." Gently accepting Sousuke Jr into her arms, she begins cooing. "Hi, little guy. Welcome to the world. Enjoy it while it lasts. A lot of strange things are happening in the world, so you gotta stay on top of it." When she looks at Sousuke, she sees that he'd nodded back off.

"Your Daddy and Mommy are sleeping. Let's go see your Daddy and Mommy's friends. Yes." Softly giggling, Mizuki carries the tiny bundle out into the hallway and says, "Behold the 'otaku child'." Kim, Bonnie and Jessica smile softly at the bundle while Ron, Hirotaka and even Altobelli start making plans to help put the infant through college.

"Is that my grandson?" Mizuki pales as she and the others see Shunya and Ayame approaching. "Where's Sousuke at?" Ayame can't help but squeal softly upon seeing her newborn nephew.

As she gazes upon him, Ayame says, "He's a little cutie-pie."

Kyoko giggles as she replies, "They're both asleep, Mr. Chidori. Kaname's in the bed, Sousuke's in the chair facing the bed and the window. The crisis really took it out of him. That and worrying about Kana-chan so much. And he is a little cutie-pie, Ayame."

"Yes. I think I can relate to you on that, Kyoko. Thank you for being a good friend to my eldest daughter and my future son-in-law." Looking at the infant cradled in Mizuki's arms, he smiles softly and asks, "May I?"

Mizuki smiles and starts handing him over. "Oh sure. You're family after all." Once Shunya has his grandson in his arms, the newborn starts crying. "Oh my. Kyoko, do you know anything that might work?"

"I think so. Mr Chidori, please do what I say when I say it. Place your hand on the baby's bottom, bring him up vertically and support his head with your other hand." As soon as he finishes, Sousuke Jr stops crying.

"Just like a piece of unstable ordnance. It's a tip from one of the greatest otaku minds I'd ever met." That gets Shunya and Ayame chuckling mirthfully as they both gaze at the sleeping newborn baby's face.

"Hi little guy. I'm your Grandpa Shunya." Musing thoughtfully, he adds, "In a way, he sounds just like his Mother whenever she cried as a baby." His eyebrow kinks in curiosity as he asks, "Did your Daddy cry too? Or was he as stiff as he currently is?"

The only response he gets is giggling from the baby in his hands. Chuckling, he says, "You're certainly tough like your Father is. You'd probably laugh in the face of danger, but I don't think he ever laughed in front of psychopaths."

Altobelli nods in agreement as he says, "I couldn't have put it better myself, Mr Chidori. I'm Leo Altobelli. Retired LAPD Commissioner."

Nodding his head, Shunya replies, "Hello, Mr Altobelli. This is my youngest daughter, Ayame. How do you know Sousuke's friends?"

"Oh, they get around. Hello to you, Miss Chidori. It's very nice to meet you."

"Hello Mr Altobelli. Right back at ya."

A Nurse then comes to take the newborn back into the nursery so he can sleep in the clear plastic cradle. Once she'd done so, Mizuki and the others make way for Shunya and Ayame's entrance to Kaname's room. With Altobelli right behind.

Once they get inside, Shunya and Ayame softly chuckle at the couple's sleep positions while Altobelli shakes his head in amusement. Kaname and Sousuke both spread eagle on the bed and chair, arms and legs akimbo.

"They're a lovely couple. Aren't they, Father?"

Nodding softly, Shunya replies, "Indeed they are, Ayame. I'll tell you one thing. It's a good thing Sousuke's 'family' told him to be here for her during the month. If he hadn't been, who knows what could have happened."

Altobelli nods in agreement and says, "Indeed, Mr. Chidori. Oh, hello." Altobelli had turned around and noticed a pair of people that he had never met before.

Shunya and Ayame turn around as well and see Kalinin wearing a brown business suit, along with Tessa, wearing a silver business blazer and blue skirt. Masatami joins them in time to see Tessa as well and his jaw drops at her beauty.

"Former Police Commissioner Leo Altobelli, it's nice to finally meet you. I'm Lieutenant Commander Kalinin and this is Captain Testarossa." Altobelli nods and shakes their hands before eying them in scrutiny.

"Lt Commander and Captain? How?" Tessa can only giggle at Masatami and smiles softly.

"It's a long story, Masatami."

"Okay. I look forward to hearing about it. I heard Sousuke mention your name. But I never imagined he'd be talking about you. More like your Father."

"Surprise, Masatami-san. I actually am a Captain." Noticing Altobelli's scrutiny of her, she asks, "Something wrong, Mr Altobelli?"

"I remembered that Gauron guy's statement about Mithril and Sousuke at the hearing. You, as a Lieutenant Commander, I can believe, Mr Kalinin. But, she's only a baby. She can't possibly be a Captain."

The petite young woman replies, "Actually, I am, Mr Altobelli. Special circumstances in my case. After all, I'm sure you know about circumstances too unusual to explain."

"Oh yeah. After all, I was attacked by a truck two months back. A truck that was able to talk, no less." Glaring at Kalinin, he adds, "If Mithril was so good at it's job, how was it that they didn't know about the situation until after it started?"

Kalinin can't help but scowl as he says, "We had no indications of imminent attack. It's only by chance and good fortune that Lieutenant Sagara just happened to be there. After all, he was ordered to stay by Miss Chidori's side for the remaining duration of the pregnancy."

Curious, Ayame asks, "What happened?"

Groggily, Sousuke replies, "I posed as a terrorist to cut down their numbers. After it began. It wasn't a problem for me."

"Sousuke, enough with the shop talk. You're supposed to be resting." Kaname opens her eyes and smiles at her beau. "But I'm glad you were here though." Turning her head, she smiles when she sees Altobelli, Kalinin, Tessa, Masatami, Shunya and Ayame. "Hi Daddy, hi sis."

"As am I, Kaname. As am I." When he turns around, he sees Shunya, Ayame, Kalinin and Tessa. With Altobelli and Masatami right behind them. Upon seeing them, he bolts right up and says, "Sir, Ma'am. Mr Altobelli. Mr and Miss Chidori. How're you holding up, Masatami?" A nod from Masatami lets him know he's doing all right.

"As you were, Lieutenant." Tessa's eyes are twinkling in amusement as she goes on. "You both have just gone through a pair of massive ordeals. Both your battle in the museum and the birth of your son. Both of you are bound to be wiped out by now. By all rights as your superior and as a friend, Lt Sagara, I'm instructing you to sit back down and relax."

"Affirmative, Madam Captain. Of course, Masatami had seen his fair share of combat as well." Resuming his seat, Sousuke asks, "Have you seen our son yet, sir?"

Kalinin chuckles as he shakes his head and replies, "No, we just got here. I'm afraid Nurse had put him into Nursery so you and Miss Chidori could get some rest." His ice-blue eyes take a humorous glint as he says, "No doubt Sgt Major Mao and Sgt Weber will throw you party upon your nuptials."

"Oh great. Knowing Kurz, he'll probably have geishas all over the place and be flirting with every single one of them." Ayame can't help but giggle at Kaname's grousing. "You just wait, Ayame. I think Kurz did the same thing at the party in Middleton. As far as flirting with the girls there. Right, Sousuke?"

"Affirmative, Kaname." Suddenly, Sousuke yawns without warning and says, "My apologies."

"No need to apologize, Lieutenant. You're still human being. It's perfectly natural, son."

"Roger that, sir. I..." Sousuke nods back off, a soft smile on his face, with Kaname right behind him.

"He's really something else, isn't he? Both he and Miss Chidori."

"Indeed they are, Madam Captain. Shall we go greet the Lieutenant and Miss Chidori's son?"

"Oh yes. But of course." Bowing, she says, "We'll be right back, Mr Chidori. I'll brief you later, Masatami."

"Okay Tessa. Be sure to give Sousuke Jr a gentle wave when you see him. Okay?"

"Okay." With that, the petite Captain and the tall Russian exit the Hospital room and head for the Nursery's window. When they get there, they see a clear bin with the names 'Chidori/Sagara' on it. As she looks over the newborn, she can't help but squeal softly. "Oh, he looks just like his Father must have as a baby. He'll be a handsome one. Just like Lt Sagara is."

"The Lt is new 'old man', Madam Captain." Chuckling, he adds, "That's got good ring to it. Young 'old man'. Very catchy."

"Indeed." Tessa smiles brightly before she frowns and thinks, 'I can only hope he's spared the gift and curse of being a "Whispered". It'd certainly break Kaname's heart and make Lt Sagara even more destructive toward those that would threaten his family.'

Without realizing it, Tessa puts her hand into Kalinin's, prompting the tall and proud Russian to softly squeeze it. When she looks up, she sees Kalinin nod his understanding. "Your concern is admirable, Madam Captain. You've certainly come long way since launching of Tuatha de Danaan."

"I have, haven't I?" Tessa perks up at Kalinin's nod and returns her attention to the clear plastic bin holding the infant. "Hi, Baby Sousuke. I'm your Auntie Tessa. Just like I promised, I will do my best to protect you. You're already blessed with two loving and devoted parents, one of which will fight tooth, nail and everything else to keep you and your Mother safe. Whereas your Mother will hopefully be able to keep your Father from rubbing off on you or destroying the planet." That causes a chuckle to come out of the Russian and a giggle from Tessa to erupt.

"Hello, little Sousuke. I'm your Grandpa Andy. We may not be related by blood, but I am closest thing your Father has to Father. I can already tell you're going to be regular chip off block." With a snort, he adds, "Bullies of world beware. If little Sousuke turns out to be like his Father, your days would certainly be numbered."

Next thing Kalinin knows, he feels Altobelli's calloused hand on his shoulder and hears the gruff man's voice. "If they don't watch out for him, they'd be wise to watch out for Team Hawk. If they were to join forces, like when you guys did and wound up saving my bacon from the slammer, they'd certainly be a force to be reckoned with."

Her interest peaked, Tessa asks, "How long have you known about Team Hawk's members, Mr Altobelli?"

"Just under a year, Captain Testarossa. Met them when Jessica first came to Los Angeles. They were on vacation, along with Mr and Mrs Tuttle."

"Where are the others at, anyway?"

"They're at an air field just outside of Tokyo. We all came over on Sky Base and War Bird from Metro. When we got to the air field, we got into Rolling Base and came right here." Altobelli smirks as he adds, "I do agree on one thing, though. This little fella's going to be a chip off the old block. He's certainly got his Dad's looks. He's going to a heartbreaker, if not a life-taker."

"Let's hope it never comes to that, Mr Altobelli." Tessa smiles at Altobelli and adds, "Your time on the force did you some good, didn't it."

"Indeed it did, Miss Testarossa. But, like all things, it has to come to an end. When we get back to the States, I'm going back to Metro for one thing and one thing alone."

"Oh? What's that?"

"The fishing. It's great there. Besides, they've got an excellent Police force over there and it's citizens are very friendly. It just has a problem of being a bit of a crime zone." Suddenly smirking, he adds, "A crime zone with it's own guardian angel."

Kalinin and Tessa both chuckle, with Tessa stating, "Yes, we know about it. We had just read over Sgt Major Mao and Sgt Weber's reports from their action in Metro. We read them on the way here. Most impressive the way the car worked with Team Hawk. Much like we did in Shanghai. With precision and improvisation."

Puzzled, he strokes his chin, saying, "Funny. I don't recall seeing them there, Captain."

"That's because you couldn't, Mr Altobelli. Seeing as you're acquainted with Team Hawk, Mithril and the Viper Team as a whole, we might as well tell you about how that was possible. The ECS." Tessa begins playing with her ponytail as she goes on. "Our Arm Slaves, equipment and submarine are equipped with a device that renders the machinery invisible to even the naked eye. The Electronic Concealment System."

Altobelli can only shake his head and chuckle wryly as he remarks, "The more things change, the stranger they get."

"I'm afraid I don't get it. Shouldn't that be 'The more things change, the more they stay the same.'?"

"Not in this case, Captain Testarossa. Take the truck attack I barely survived two months ago for example. If you told me, five years ago, that I'd be facing off against a truck intent on killing me, I'd have you committed to the nearest psych facility. These days, I'd take you at your word. Trust me when I tell you this world is so bizarre, it's best to wait and see what pops up."

"A sound argument, Mr Altobelli. You are more perceptive than expected."

"Thank you, Lt Commander. I'd have to be. After all, the original Street Hawk was one of my men. You are quite wise. I'm sure you'd make an excellent teacher if you retired from Mithril."

"There aren't really retirement plans, Mr Altobelli. I'm afraid the only true way out of Mithril is in a body bag or casket." Tessa sighs sadly as she goes on. "The same way must have been for Officer Mach. After all, a top secret project, much like a secret unit of mercenaries, can often make enemies as well. Often, though, the closest thing to a retirement is for a group to just disappear into the background. Without a trace. If the group is secret, even easier. It's members would go on living."

"Then why'd you say the only way out of Mithril is in a body bag or casket?" Suddenly, it hits him. "Low life expectancy, right? Because you're mercenaries. Soldiers of Justice."

Kalinin nods and replies, "Correct. The average soldier can last as long as possible, but sooner or later, the odds will even out. Those of us that survive to old age consider it to be a miracle. Lt Sagara's case is unique to be certain. He was orphaned at an early age, raised and abused by rebels, taught to fight by the rebels and joined Mithril. In fact, Sgt Major Mao wouldn't even consider him because of his scores."

"What? Are you kidding me? Judging from the sounds of things, this young man's a super-ultra-mega-commando." Much to his surprise, Tessa giggles.

"He is indeed. Here's a scenario for you. If you're wanting to join a mercenary organization, how would you go about it? Pace yourself so you can learn extra or show off?"

"He paced himself, didn't he, Captain?"

"That's right!" Turning at the new voice, he sees a buxom young woman with violet eyes and raven black hair. "Just got word that Kaname had her baby, Lt Commander, Captain."

Kalinin nods and replies, "Indeed, Sgt Major Mao. Leo Altobelli, meet Sgt Major Melissa Mao, Urzu 2. Sgt Major, meet Leo Altobelli, retired Commissioner of the LAPD."

"Nice to meet you, sir." Melissa grins as she shakes the man's hand. In turn, Altobelli can't help but be impressed with her grip.

"Likewise, Sgt Major. You've a nice grip there."

"So do you, sir."

Taking in her appearance, he asks, "You're a little young for that rank, aren't you?"

"If you're a teenage mercenary, you're bound to rise in the ranks. Sousuke did as well. When he started his current assignment, he was a Sergeant." Suddenly smiling, she adds, "He's like a little brother to me. Tessa's the same way, only in a sisterly way."

"Is that right?" Right then, he hears another voice.

"That's right, Commish." Altobelli can only shake his head and chuckle at the shortened version of his former title. "Sgt Kurz Weber, Urzu 6, at your service."

Shaking the man's hand, Altobelli says, "Sgt Weber, nice to meet you. Urzu 6, huh? So you were the one that destroyed that AS at the dock. You owe me a fish, my boy."

"Likewise. And sorry about that, sir." Kurz suddenly grins sneakily and asks, "Ever been to a Mithril wedding? It's a very rare occasion."

"Not lately, but I'm quite intrigued. Why?"

"Because Lt Sagara's wedding is in three days. He's first one of our ranks to get married. Casual dress, but if you're stickler for custom, go for it." Kalinin smirks as he adds, "That is one event even Commander Mardukas doesn't intend to miss."

"Ah. Who's the lucky girl? And who's Commander Mardukas?"

Tessa suddenly giggles and replies, "Why Miss Kaname Chidori, of course. As for Commander Mardukas, he's my Executive Officer on the submarine. He'll be arriving here shortly. He just had to finish up some details onboard." Next thing the petite Captain knows, Kurz is bolting over to the Nursery window and making silly faces into the room.

"Weber! This is no time for pissing me off!" Melissa stomps over to the blond Sergeant and kicks him in his ass. Looking inside, she smiles tenderly and adds, "Besides, the little guy's sleeping. I can tell he's going to be just like his Daddy."

"Collision-prone and somber all the time?" Suddenly, he feels himself getting decked in his stomach. Looking at Melissa, he sees that she's smiling like a shark.

"Idiot. Nope. A regular lady-killer." Giving the infant the same tender smile, she says, "Hi baby. I'm your Auntie Melissa and this is your Uncle Kurz. I'm going to teach you all about romance when you're old enough. If I leave it to this joker, you're bound to be as unlucky as your Daddy was."

"I thought he's supposed to charm ladies, not kill them." As Melissa turns her head to glare at him, Kurz gulps, knowing he just said something stupid and absurd.

In the background, as Melissa hurls verbal barbs at him, Altobelli watches and listens in amusement as Kalinin and Tessa shake their heads. "Those two have an interesting history together."

Tessa nods and replies, "Indeed, Mr Altobelli. Sgt Major Mao used to be a Marine before she joined Mithril. With her combat skills, she attained the rank of Sgt Major quite quickly. On top of that, she is a very dear friend of mine."

"I see. And Sgt Weber?"

"He's a bit of a pervert. But, he's also the best sniper in Mithril's ranks. Lt Sagara is the biggest mystery and the most dangerous soldier ever. Cross him and you'll wish you were never born."

"Captain Testarossa is quite correct. I learned, very quickly, that loyalty results in loyalty. Betrayal ends in harsh punishment, especially at Lt Sagara's hands. When we first met, we were enemies. We'd do our best to kill each other on the battlefield. One day, I came across him as he was burying his comrades at a rebel stronghold. He was supposedly the only survivor, as everyone else there was dead. By sheer luck, he was out on reconnaissance when they were slaughtered. They were his surrogate family."

"That poor boy. Losing his parents and his second family." Altobelli looks back toward the nursery window and sees Kurz and Melissa both making silly faces toward the newborn. "I'll tell you one thing. I've never seen an instrument of destruction become a parent. And I mean destruction." Much to Altobelli's surprise, the Russian chuckles his agreement as does the petite Captain.

Tessa then smiles as she says, "Yes. It should be quite interesting to see how Sousuke Jr turns out with both parents alive still."

Altobelli nods as he brings out his antacid tablets and pops one into his mouth. "Yes. It should be very, very, interesting indeed."

Three days after giving birth to their son, Kaname is getting into her kimono for this particular event. One that she and Sousuke had been waiting for, practically, all their lives. Kaname looks over at the clear plastic cradle and smiles softly upon seeing their newborn son sleeping.

As he sleeps, she mouths, 'I love you, baby Sousuke.' Shaking her head, she returns her attention to the task at hand. Along with her bridesmaids and sister. With them are Melissa and Tessa. Running her hands down her belly, she smiles at having regained her figure. The combination of Sousuke's gentle ministrations and her metabolism allowed her to regain her figure. Right now, however, she's quite nervous.

Once they have her kimono finished, she takes a look at her reflection and smiles upon seeing it. She looks exactly like the way she did the day of the flirting contest when she narrowly saved Sousuke from following through on an embarrassing bet. The memory of him telling her she looked lovely causes her to blush massively as she walks over to the clear plastic cradle.

When she gets there, she gazes down upon the sleeping baby. 'Our precious baby boy.' Softly, she runs her fingers along the baby's crown and softly giggles that he doesn't open his eyes. 'Your Daddy must have been a sound sleeper before he became a great war machine and hero for the cause of Justice. I can only hope you're spared having to follow in his footsteps.' Next thing she knows, she sees a flash out of the corner of her eye and smiles upon hearing Kyoko's giggle.

"You're going to make a wonderful Mom, Kana-chan. You're simply glowing with maternal warmth."

Kaname can only smile softly, knowing that Kyoko had gotten her soft side. "Be sure you get Sousuke's soft side as well, Kyoko. It may be a little hard to spot, but it's there."

Kyoko smirks as she replies, "You got it, Kaname. One shot of Sousuke's soft paternal warmth, coming right up."

Inside the Hospital Chapel, Sousuke is pacing at the altar and sweating 'bullets'. Shunya, Mardukas and Altobelli are sitting in the pews with Ron and the other men. As he paces, he runs his fingers along his evenly parted hair from front to back.

"Sousuke, come and sit down my boy. You look as nervous as a mouse in a herd of elephants." Mardukas can only nod in agreement with Shunya's assessment. "Besides, running your fingers through your hair is going to undo what that Francois guy did for your hair."

Sousuke stops his action, turns around and asks, "Do you think they're ready for the wedding, Mr Chidori?"

"I believe you'd say 'Affirmative' to that, my boy. But, knowing my daughter, she is bound to be excited, nervous and scared all at the same time. Look how bad you're sweating."

"Let's see. I have a haircut that I'm not quite sure about. I still can't believe that Francois didn't know what a 'high-and-tight' was. I thought he was a barber."

Ron shrugs and replies, "Nah. He's more like a stylist that works with hair. Kim had him cut my hair once. Turned me into a babe-magnet. Problem was, it made me a jerk as well. It must have been the sea urchin in that goop. Now sit on down and relax so you can stop sweating."

"Oh man. Sousuke, if you keep that up, you'll need scuba gear to breathe." Kurz's voice cuts through his consciousness as the blond-haired sniper says, "Just sit down and try to relax. Think of things that keep you calm while being under fire."

"Relax? Relax? Ron, Kurz, you're not the one getting married. I am! As for being calm under fire, the gunfire is what keeps me calm. However, I seriously doubt the Hospital would enjoy having the Chapel shot up by an 'otaku'." He then looks down at his form and smirks softly.

"This should help somewhat, though. The fit is surprisingly excellent." The tailor Mithril had hired did an amazing rush job. "This is going to be interesting for certain. I've never done this kind of thing before."

Mardukas cracks into a soft grin as he replies, "I've never been married before myself, Lieutenant. Think of it as another mission. One that's worth having and accomplishing. After all, you faced threats all over the world. This is simply a different battlefield."

Ron suddenly chuckles and says, "When KP and I got married, I was nervous as heck as well. What Mr Dr P said didn't help matters any at all. After all, a deep space probe to a black hole is enough to make anyone nervous. Especially if your bride's Father is a rocket scientist. But did I let that stop me? No, I didn't. It's perfectly natural. I'm sure Kaname's going through the same thing. Kim certainly was. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Kaname was asking Kim for advice."

"Stoppable-san is quite correct, Sagara-san. When Bonnie-kun and I got married, we were nervous as well. I may be a ninja, but I'm a human as well. It's perfectly natural. Even more, Mr Dr Possible gave her away at our ceremony, given that Bonnie-kun's 'Father' had deserted his family. A most dishonorable act."

"Oh, great. Just great. Now you've really got me nervous."

Out in the hallway, heading toward the Chapel, Kaname looks over at Kim and asks, "You sure about this, Kim? We could always postpone the wedding so we can get to a Shinto temple. I never dreamed my wedding would be inside a Hospital Chapel. Yeah, sure, it'd be private enough. But I just don't know."

"Ferociously sure, Kaname. After all, weddings performed in a Hospital Chapel are just as valid as those done in shrines, mosques, temples, churches or synagogues. What you're going through is just pre-wedding jitters. All brides go through it. The grooms go through it as well. Don't forget, Ron and I were best friends before we got together and married. The reason our relationship is so strong is because we draw off of each other. It strengthened our friendship so much more. After all, your best friend can sometimes turn out to be more than that if the circumstances are right."

Bonnie nods in agreement and says, "K's right, Kaname. Hirotaka and I fell for each other while he was in Middleton during the exchange program."

"Oh, so that's how you two met." Bonnie nods and smiles her barracuda smile.

"Ask yourself these questions and be brutally honest with yourself. First; Is Sousuke one of your best friends?"

"One of my dearest, next to Kyoko. Without him around, I don't know what I'd do. Likewise for him when it comes to me. We draw off on each other. Just like you guys do."

"Two; Would he do anything to ensure you're provided for? And that is staying within the Law."

"Yes, he would."

"Three; Would he go to extreme measures to ensure you're provided for? I'm talking total desperation here."

"Yes, he would. I just hope it doesn't go that far."

"That's all you really need, Kaname. Hope, love and faith." Kaname turns at Jessica's voice as the young woman goes on. "If Sousuke has the will to gut it out, then you do too. After all, how many times have you seen him go into action? In school, that is." That has everyone giggling, including Tessa.

"Quite a few times, Jessica. I just hope he doesn't go too otaku at the altar. Especially with what he has in mind." Upon reaching the Chapel's door, she and the others see Shunya step out, a smile on his face. "Is everything ready, Father?"

"Yes. Even more, your groom is sweating 'bullets' still. Of course, I can't really say I blame him at all." Examining Kaname in her kimono, he smiles softly and says, "You look just like your Mother did, Kaname. I just wish she was here to see this day."

"So do I, Father." Much to her surprise, he extends his arm and offers his elbow to her.

"Ready, my daughter?"

"Affirmative, Father." They both share a quick chuckle as Kaname sneaks a glance over to a sleeping Sousuke Jr in Kyoko's arms. "I'm ready." At that, Shunya nods and opens the door, allowing the 'Wedding March' to begin.

As they get closer, Kaname notices the pattern on Sousuke's tuxedo and can't help but giggle in amusement as she rolls her eyes. For his tuxedo is in a camouflage pattern, along with his dress slacks. The groomsmen are wearing the same thing as Sousuke. Even Melissa can't help but chuckle upon seeing Kurz in his tuxedo.

Kim rolls her eyes at Ron, just as Bonnie rolls her eyes at Hirotaka before they giggle and blow kisses at them. Up ahead, Miss Kagurazaka and Jordan McAllen are standing with the tea set that Miss Kagurazaka had given them for the occasion. The two had gotten closer in the past few months and are looking good together.

Next thing they know, the Shinto priest comes up and bows. Sousuke and Kaname both return the bow and take up their positions. Miss Kagurazaka helps Kaname set up the tea while Jordan helps Sousuke with the rings. After both teens take a sip of tea, they exchange rings, putting the ring on each other's ring finger.

Kurz and Melissa both then walk up to the teens, carrying holsters. Inside the holsters are .44 magnum Desert Eagles. Both glossy-black with white rosewood grips and small gems the size of their pinkie-tips and the color of Sousuke and Kaname's eyes embedded into the middle of the grips. One has grey gems while the other has brown.

Both teens grin massively as they slip the massive handguns out of the holsters and slip them into the other holster. On Kaname's side is the one with grey gems while the one with brown gems is on Sousuke's side. The Shinto priest can only shake his head in mild amusement over the teens' antics.

As he clears the altar, he thinks, 'Sure don't see that every day.'

As Sousuke and Kaname bow to each other, they both hear their son start crying and smile softly, knowing the time for his Baptism had come. Since Sousuke hadn't been in country for very long, he elected to go with a traditional American Baptism. Kaname had readily agreed, as long as it wasn't weird or dangerous.

The minister comes up and smiles upon seeing the infant going into Kaname's arms. "What is the child's name to be?"

Kaname smiles softly as she replies, "Sousuke Sagara Jr, sir."

"So shall it be." The minister then says, "May the Lord bless you and keep you, Sousuke Sagara Jr. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen."

Both men then outstretch their arms and, with the priest repeating in Japanese, the minister says, "I now present to you, Mr and Mrs Sousuke Sagara and son." At the applause, the young newlywed couple exit the Chapel, with Sousuke Jr nestled into his Mother's arms, and go out to their van.

Much to their surprise, their red and white Sienna had been replaced by a dark blue Sienna, seeing as the one they had bought belonged to one of the dead terrorists.

"Consider it a wedding present from us, Sousuke. The van had been equipped with bugging devices. Luckily, they didn't check the bugs very often." Tessa then smiles brightly as she says, "This van is completely secure, with a very nice surprise in the engine compartment."

"You mean..."

"That's right, Mrs Sagara. The engine is a Police Interceptor V6." Suddenly, Tessa feels herself being glomped and smiles upon feeling Kaname embracing her. Next thing she knows, she feels herself being lifted off the ground by Sousuke's strong arms. Now giggling, she says, "You're quite welcome, Mr and Mrs Sagara."

Upon putting her back onto the ground, Sousuke grins sheepishly as he turns back toward the van. On the back windscreen are the words 'Just Married' and 'Baby on Board' written in Kanji. Kaname opens the door and sees their car seat had been transferred as well. As she and Sousuke put Sousuke Jr into his car seat, they sneak a peck on their lips and get finished.

Once they had closed the door, Kaname turns to Shunya and smiles softly. "Congratulations, Kaname. You've a good man and a beautiful baby boy. You take good care of them, okay?"

"I will, Father." She then embraces him and sniffles. "I'll always be your little girl."

"Yes, you always will." Looking toward his new son-in-law, Shunya smiles and says, "Please take good care of my daughter and grandbaby, Sousuke."

"Roger." Bringing out his combat knife from his sleeve, he asks, "Blood oath or not?"

Smiling nervously, Shunya replies, "Um, let's go with not, Sousuke. The fact you're willing to draw blood is good proof enough for me." As he feels Kaname silently chuckling against him, he can't help but chuckle as well. "Your parents would so proud of you, my boy. It's a shame they couldn't be here for it."

"I'm sure they are, sir. In spirit, I'm sure they are."

Suddenly, they both hear a voice they hadn't heard in a long time. "Congratulations, little cousin." They both turn around and see Luke with Elizabeth. "Take good care of my cousin, Kaname."

"I will, Luke. Shall I whack myself with my halisen just to be sure?" Much to her surprise, Luke can only chuckle.

"Nah. That won't be necessary. Like your Father said, the fact you're willing to do something like that is good proof enough for me." He then grimaces and says, "I gotta admit, you kinda had me worried with the guns a bit."

Sousuke smirks back at his cousin and replies, "Not to worry. The guns were both unloaded, reducing the chance of discharge."

Tsubaki's eyes go wide as he screams, "You mean those are real guns? Not props?"

"Affirmative, Tsubaki. You knew I was going to have an otaku twist. I remembered what Ron said Bonnie and Hirotaka had done for their wedding. So, I took that idea and structured it differently."

Mizuki can only chuckle as she asks, "What're you going to do for an encore, Sousuke?"

"Only time will tell, Miss Inaba. Only time will tell." Turning to Kaname, he asks, "Do you think we should wait until after graduation to honeymoon or should we go ahead and get it out of the way?"

"Let's wait until after graduation, Sousuke. I want to graduate on schedule with everyone else."

"Roger." Turning to Miss Kagurazaka, he bows and says, "We'll see you in class tomorrow, Kagurazaka-sensei."

"I look forward to it, Mr and Mrs Sagara-san." Sneaking a glance at the sleeping newborn, she smirks softly and says, "Please be sure to bring him with you tomorrow. Principal Tsuboi wishes to see what he looks like. She sends her regrets she was unable to attend the wedding."

"Roger. See you tomorrow." Miss Kagurazaka nods in agreement as she and Jordan get into her car and leave the parking lot. Before Sousuke and Kaname can talk to Ron and the others, they see a black van with Global Justice markings approach the Hospital and hear the brakes screech, it's engine revving loudly.

Jessica looks toward Sousuke and says, "Sorry, but we gotta go! Got something to take care of! We'll talk to you later!" Jessica and the others wave as they get into the van, with Altobelli right behind them. "Hit it, Wade!" Wade Load nods and grins savagely.

Just as quickly, the van speedily rolls out, for parts unknown. Sousuke turns to Kaname and asks, "Was that Wade Load just now? I thought he never leaves his room."

"So did I. Maybe he decided to make some changes."

Upon the vehicle's departure, both teens wrap up their goodbyes and get into the van. As the van leaves the Hospital grounds, they look toward the direction the van left in and wish the people onboard good luck. Looking back toward the direction, fifteen minutes later, Kaname can see War Bird and Sky Base entering the sky and take off to the east.

"Looks like they're going to kick some more ass, Sousuke."

"So it would appear, honey. So it would appear." Five minutes later, they arrive at their apartment building and park the van. "Home sweet home. At least for now."

"I agree. Our neighbors probably will tolerate Sousuke Jr's crying up to a certain point. We'll have to find our own house before they start whining about our baby."

"Roger. Quite frankly, however, if they start whining about it, it'll become a raw deal for all involved. And you know how I feel about raw deals. Especially giving the deals." Kaname can't help but release an amused snort as they both exit the van.

"Yeah. Your deals always are the rawest, Sousuke. Very direct and to the point. All we have to do now is add discrete to the list and just forget about subtle. Then again, your definition of subtle is far more fun and interesting." With that, she smooths out the kimono, taking care to not press against her abdomen as she was still slightly sore, and smiles upon seeing her wedding band. Right beside her engagement ring.

'I finally got married, Mom. It may have been sooner than expected, but it's worthwhile. I wish you could have been here to meet Sousuke and our baby. If we have another baby and it's a girl, maybe we could name her after you. Yeah. Shizu Sagara.'

"A nuclear warhead for your thoughts, Kaname." Kaname giggles as she looks over at her new husband, holding their son's car seat. "You looked like you were in a trance."

"I'm okay, Sousuke. Just thinking about my Mom, is all. It's not a problem."

"Roger. Ready to go inside?"

"Hmm, affirmative." Kaname giggles again as the young couple goes inside with their newborn son and head for the elevator. As the elevator car rises, Kaname and Sousuke both take turns looking at each other and smiling down at the bundle in the car seat. When they get to their floor, they exit the elevator car and go to their apartment door.

Evidently, the neighbors had heard about the birth of the baby and set about decorating the door. In Kanji, the words 'It's a boy' are running diagonally on the door, with a small teddy bear right in the middle. Both teens are deeply touched by the gesture as they open the door and Sousuke carries the car seat into the apartment.

While Sousuke carries their son inside, Kaname brings down the small bear and smiles. 'Looks like Sousuke's reputation precedes him, even with this. Oh well.' The bear is clad in a WW2 Japanese military uniform, complete with a rifle and sword. When she sees Sousuke coming back toward her, she smiles as she shows him the bear. "Looks like you're famous, honey."

"So it would appear, sweetie." Being mindful of her abdomen, he then gently lifts her up, causing her to giggle. "Then again, fame is highly over-rated." With that, he carries his blushing and giggling bride over the threshold. "Welcome home, Kaname Sagara."

"Hmm, I love that name. Just like I love you, my military maniac." As she gently kicks the door closed, she starts kissing him passionately. "Welcome home, Sousuke Sagara, Lieutenant of Mithril."

Putting her feet down onto the floor, Sousuke then carries the car seat over the bassinet, with Kaname right behind him. Bringing their son out of the car seat, Sousuke gingerly puts the sleeping infant into place and turns on the mobile, triggering the music.

As the music plays, he bows to Kaname, asking, "Care to dance, Mrs Sagara?"

Smiling softly, Kaname replies, "I'd love to, Mr Sagara." With that, the young couple dances their first dance as a married couple. As they dance, they lean their faces toward each other and kiss passionately. Next thing they know, Sousuke Jr starts crying.

"You'd better check him, Sousuke." Upon seeing Sousuke nod, Kaname watches as her husband goes over to the bassinet.

"What's going on, son?" Sniffing the air, he quickly scowls. "You're a little stinker, aren't you?" Taking the infant over to the changing table, he removes the diaper and quickly gets 'baptized'. "Umm, Kaname. Could you bring me a towel please?"

"Coming right up, honey." When she gets to his side and sees his face dripping, she softly snickers and says, "Next time, duck."

"Roger." Unable to contain it, he starts laughing. "I think I did the same thing with my Father when I was little. Like Father, like son." Kaname can only giggle as they finish putting a fresh diaper onto their giggling son. Once they have the fresh diaper on him, Sousuke lifts him off of the changing table and holds him in his hands, with Kaname stroking his back.

"I've seen all kinds of things that would harrow your soul, but never anything like this. If anything, it kind of restores it."

"You're a warrior, Sousuke. You're just now enjoying life and you gave a new life."

"With your help, Kana-kun."

"Oh, Sous-kun."

Author's Notes: That was a heck of a chapter, wasn't it? I hope I got the Japanese/Western traditional wedding right. If not, oh well. Did the best I could. I hope you loved the otaku twist I put in. In any case, I reportedly did the same thing to my Dad. According to my Mom, that is. So, I included it. Please be sure to check out the epilogue.


	8. Epilogue

Seven Months p 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Panic!, Kim Possible or Street Hawk. Wish I did though.

Author's Notes: Here it is. The last chapter for Seven Months! Yay! Be it as it may, I had fun writing this story. I hope you like the surprise at the end. In the meantime, I'll be working on writing their honeymoon story.

Epilogue: Graduation and Honeymoon Departure

Three months later, Kaname and Sousuke are preparing for their graduation. Even though she was pregnant, Kaname was selected to be valedictorian for she managed to sustain her grades throughout her pregnancy.

She had even written her speech with the help of Sousuke's uniquely military insights. Looking over at the nursery, Kaname smiles softly at the tuft of brown hair on the head of the three-month old baby, currently nestled into his Father's arms.

"Fatherhood suits you, Sousuke." Sousuke looks up and smiles softly at Kaname before returning his attention to the baby.

"Indeed. Just like Motherhood suits you, Kaname." Kaname blushes furiously as he walks over to her and gives her a soft peck. Checking the clock, he says, "It's time to graduate, honey."

"Mm-hmm. Let's go, Sous-kun."

"Roger, Kana-kun." Opening the apartment door, Sousuke escorts his wife out of the dwelling and to the elevator after locking the door. As they walk out together, Kaname reaches over and tickles the baby's foot, eliciting a giggle from the baby.

"Yeah, you like that, don't you, baby. That's a good little baby boy. Yes, you are." Once they reach the van, Kaname smirks and says, "I think it'll be better for you to drive, Sous-kun."

"That's affirmative, Kana-kun." With that, Sousuke opens the van's sliding door and Kaname straps the infant into the seat. Within seconds, she gets it done. "You're getting better, Kaname."

"You are too, Sousuke. Only except you tend to over-strap at times." Giving him a soft smile, she adds, "Then again, I can't really say I blame you, honey. There are a lot of nuts out there that can't drive at all." Once Sousuke's closed the door and opened the door for Kaname, she smiles seductively at her husband. "I just can't believe we're about to go on our honeymoon, Sousuke."

"Indeed. It'd certainly be nice to get away from Japan and Mithril during our honeymoon. Although, I don't think it'd be a good idea to take Sousuke Jr with us."

"Yeah. I guess we could ask Kyoko to look after him while we're out of town."

The couple had been planning their honeymoon for the past two months. Of course, there were times they'd be groggy from having had to wake up, in the dead of night, to deal with the baby's crying. So there'd be times the ideas wouldn't make sense until the fog in their minds finally cleared.

So far, they settled on going to a small town, then to Okinawa, the Onken resort before Hawaii for their honeymoon, along with Australia and, finally, Afghanistan. The latter, of which, that has a peaceful portion at least. The portion that his parents had been buried in so long ago. His sole intent is to exhume his parents' bodies and return them to their homeland. The latter Kaname is happy about, for it'll give her husband some inner peace. It is the former that she couldn't quite stomach.

"Kaname? We're here." Kaname shakes her head and smiles sheepishly when she sees Jindai High School. "Do you want me to get the door, honey?"

"No, Sousuke. I can get it. Thanks though, honey." Upon seeing Sousuke nod and step out of the van, she cringes and thinks, 'Yeah right, I can get it! I'm a nervous wreck! And Sousuke looks like he's out in a combat zone. Completely relaxed and in his element. Wait a minute! This is my element. My combat zone. Oh Sousuke!'

Gingerly opening her door, Kaname steps out of the van and goes around to Sousuke's side. When she gets there, she sees Sousuke putting their son into the stroller. "Looking to take our son into the park today, Sousuke?"

"Negative. It looks like he's finally fallen asleep during the drive here. Just trying to keep him comfortable while we graduate. It's not a problem." Suddenly, Sousuke's startled when Kaname giggles and launches herself onto his body. Only thing is, he wraps his arms around her and kisses her passionately.

"Hmm, now that's a kiss. From now on, that's how you kiss, Sousuke."

"Understood, Kaname."

Fifteen minutes later, they're with their classmates in their graduation uniforms. Looking out toward the crowd, Sousuke's able to see the Stoppables, Rockwallers, Jessica Mach sitting with her Mother and Lt Argyle. Along with Altobelli, Kaname's able to see Shunya, Ayame and Sousuke's colleagues within Mithril in attendance.

Along with Robocop, James and Sheila Murphy, Marishka Ovelika and John Devlin. Mithril had hired Devlin, based on Tessa's recommendation and assigned him to protect Marishka. Also in the crowd is a woman with short-cut red hair and a proud even smile on her face. A face that's vaguely familiar to Sousuke.

"And now, a speech from this year's Class Valedictorian, Kaname Chidori-Sagara." Principal Tsuboi's voice gains Kaname's attention, as does the applause. Once Kaname is at the podium, she bows and Principal Tsuboi returns it, saying, "Congratulations on all counts, Mrs Sagara."

"Thank you, Madam Principal." Turning her attention to the gathering, she begins. "First off, I'd like to say this much. Life is an adventure. The beginning often comes early to those not quite ready for it. We've all had adventures and misadventures. Sometimes comical, sometimes not so comical." A smattering of laughter comes out of the crowd.

"For some of us, the adventure can be dangerous, weird or just plain nuts. But, our experiences along the way have helped to shape and hone us to a fine point. Even when we started out weak, we became strong over time. Some of us overcame and continue to overcome adverse odds while some had simply coasted and still coast through life. Our lives ahead is a long road, with the end almost nowhere in sight. Some of us are not really armed to go out into the world, but some have already been armed. Well-armed in one case, in fact." More laughter, especially from the graduates.

"My darling husband is that one such person. He'd seen so much chaos, he inadvertently brought some into our lives. But that was because he had been out in the wild for so long. At the same time, he's also enriched our lives. Both with his naïve nature and also with his otaku habits. He's certainly enriched my life and his own at the same time. Which is why he should be up here with me as well. Come on up, Sousuke."

At that, sounding applause and boos come out at the same time. Both end at the discharge of a gun. Both parties look at Kaname and see her pointing her Desert Eagle up into the air, her snarl on her face.

"Those that were booing, go bash your heads against the wall! Those that were applauding, thanks for that. Believe it or not, sometimes the things that Sousuke says are either profound or just plain out to lunch." Looking over at Sousuke, she adds, "I wouldn't have him any other way. He's just fine the way he is."

"Thank you, Kaname." As Kaname takes her place beside Sousuke, they both catch sight of Kalinin and Mardukas struggling to hold their laughter in check. With Kurz, Melissa and Tessa right behind them. "First off, I'd like to thank my foster family for sending me to school. I had no idea what a normal teenager's life is like. Then again, our teen years aren't exactly normal."

"Especially with Sousuke Sagara around!" Tsubaki's comment has the crowd in stitches and nodding in agreement. Even Kalinin and Mardukas are guffawing and slapping their knees. While Kurz, Melissa and Tessa are shaking their heads as they laugh. For they all know how true that really is.

"A typical teenager doesn't go around armed to the teeth. That much is true. For those teenagers that do, it's usually because they've had to take up arms, just to survive. I'm not a typical teenager. I was orphaned at eight years old and became a fighter with the Afghani rebels. My time was usually spent trying to stay alive and keep my comrades alive. When I came here and met my wife, I had no idea what life in civilian surroundings was actually like. Then again, we never really do. All we can do is hope for the best and prepare for the worst."

With that, he bows and steps away from the podium, saying, "Public speaking was never really my strong suit. So, I arranged a little something so I can express myself easier. It's not a problem." In the parking lot, Humvees from the United States Army Base in Okinawa are pulling the Base's M198 Howitzers into the spaces. As they set them up, Sousuke brings up the music. "This is the '1812 Symphony'. Quite fitting for this, I believe."

Softly snickering, Kaname puts ear plugs into a now awake Sousuke Jr's ears so they won't be harmed by the loud cannon blasts. 'If anything, your Daddy likes to go somewhere or do something with a bang.' As the music plays, the massive 155mm cannons fire their blank rounds, causing the class to flinch with every blast and Sousuke's friends to laugh uproariously. Even Lt Argyle is highly-amused.

As the cannons fire, Tsubaki looks over at Mizuki and grins/grimaces while flinching. "I'll give him this much. He doesn't do things half-assed."

"I'll say he doesn't. But, isn't this a bit much?"

"For Sagara? Nope. For that matter, it might not even be enough for him." Mizuki can only nod and laugh in agreement as the song ends and the cannon fire stops.

"Thank you for that touching tribute, Sagara-san. I'm sure none of us will ever forget it." Principal Tsuboi resumes her place at the podium and smiles. "If anything, he has certainly made life here at Jindai High very interesting." With that and the resulting laughter, she begins announcing the graduate names.

When she gets to Kaname's name, she skips it, knowing that she's a Sagara now. Upon reaching Sousuke's name, she smiles warmly and says, "Mr and Mrs Sousuke Sagara." As the class gives it's applause, Sousuke and Kaname go get their diplomas. "Congratulations to you both. May your lives go well."

"Thank you, Madam Principal. May your school continue standing now that we've graduated."

"Sousuke, you war-crazed lunatic!" Kaname helplessly shakes her head and chuckles. "Oh well. He does have a good point, Madam Principal."

"Indeed he does, Mrs Sagara." Unexpectedly, she takes the two of them into her arms and adds, "You both take good care of that baby."

"We will, ma'am." Right then, Sousuke's watch goes off. "After our honeymoon. Ready, Kaname?"

"Hmm, affirmative, Sousuke." Turning to Kyoko, she then asks, "Would you like to babysit Sousuke Jr while we're out of town, Kyoko?"

"Sure thing, Kana-chan." Kyoko giggles mirthfully as Sousuke hands her their once-again sleepy son. "Come to Auntie Kyoko, little Sousuke." Once she has him in her arms, the infant opens his eyes to her, revealing his eye color, just before closing them again. "He's got your eyes, Sousuke. He's going to be a strong one. Just like you."

"You really think so, Kyoko?"

"Oh yeah." Kyoko then catches sight of a man and woman she had never met before. "Hello."

"Hello, I'm Huoko Nakasumi and this is my assistant, Miss Yumi Kyoko. I was wondering if it'd be possible to have a word with Mrs Sagara in private."

"Sure. See you and Sousuke when you get back, Kana-chan."

"See you later, Kyoko. Bye, baby. Be good for Auntie Kyoko while Mommy and Daddy are gone." Watching Kyoko and Shinji walk away with Sousuke Jr in the stroller, Kaname leans back into Sousuke's arms and sighs. "I know it sounds silly, but I miss our baby already, Sousuke."

"I miss him too, Kaname. We'll see him again, though." Turning his attention to Mr Nakasumi, he bows and says, "I'm Sousuke, Kaname's husband."

"A pleasure to meet you, Sagara-san. That was a very touching, and interesting, tribute you did for your graduation." Nakasumi can't help but grin as he notices their rings and magnums. "In any case, I'm wondering if Mrs Sagara would like a job at Nakasumi Toys. Miss Kyoko is by my side so often as an interpreter, I feel I need another assistant. The same wages as Miss Kyoko earns, of course."

Her face going aglow, Kaname meekly replies, "Wow. This is so sudden. I mean, we just graduated from high school. Wouldn't I need a college degree?"

"Typically, that's true. But something tells me you have what it takes for the job."

Suddenly smirking, Kaname says, "You could hire Sousuke as a Security Expert. If anyone can make Security tighter than ever, it's him. Besides, I feel much safer when he's nearby."

"Oh, but of course. I've heard talk about his skills and that he's often out of town. What does he do when he's not in town?"

"Oh, you know. This and that." Much to Kaname's surprise, the man starts laughing.

"I know that all too well. Especially since Global Justice keeps it's operatives well-informed." With a glint of deviousness in his eyes, he adds, "I also know of your duties with Mithril, young warrior, as it was Dr Director that recommended you both to me. So, I bring you both an offer of employment with Nakasumi Toys. Upon your return from your honeymoon, you'll both be offered an internship. Kaname-chan as an assistant and Sousuke-san as a Security Expert."

Sousuke scowls briefly before asking, "If you're with Global Justice, then is Nakasumi Toys a front company?"

"No, it's quite real. Miss Kyoko and I are the only GJ operatives in the company's executive chain. All others are workers and executives that own stock in the company. I started it as a hobby so I could bring joy into the lives of children everywhere."

"Hmm, well, it sounds intriguing. Just the same, though, we'd like to ponder it during our honeymoon." Kaname taps her chin in thought and turns to Sousuke. "What do you think, Lieutenant Lunacy?"

"Well, it'd certainly be interesting to see what I can do about improving the Security arrangements. I'd have to perform an infiltration of the company itself. It won't be a problem. Not for a Specialist."

Curious, Miss Kyoko asks, "Just what are your primary capabilities?"

"Assassinations, sabotage, demolitions, infiltration, underwater warfare, trench warfare, psychological warfare, Arm Slave operation, bodyguarding and others." Taking Kaname's hand into his, he adds, "I've been a bodyguard for some time now. I'm pretty sure I have the hang of it."

Kaname can't help but giggle and blush as she kisses Sousuke on his cheek. Miss Kyoko can't help but smile as she sees the Stoppables, Rockwallers and Machs coming their way. Giving Nakasumi a nudge, she indicates they have company.

"Ah, hello my friends. It's nice to see you all again. But, where're Mr and Mrs Tuttle at? Surely, they should have been able to see this day."

"Likewise, Mr Nakasumi. Norman, Jane and Norma aren't with us anymore." At their shocked gasps, he goes on. "They're in a better place and in much better health and spirits."

"How do you mean, Stoppable-san?"

"Let's just say that he's living off the grid. How's the toy biz going?"

"It's going just fine, Ronald-san. By the way, how's the side gig going?"

"We've been decommissioned." Ron shrugs and says, "It was bound to happen sooner or later. Especially since there's going to be a Street Hawk in every American Police garage. There are also going to be Ninjas, Hard Hawks, Sand Hawks and War Birds. Norman's dream came true and all we got are all these memories of what we've done."

Suddenly, Nakasumi's eyes can't help but bulge as he sees another young couple walking toward them. "Is that who I think it is?" Ron can only grin and nod.

"It is, Mr Nakasumi." Sousuke and Kaname look toward the direction that Mr Nakasumi was and get a nice, if not unusual, surprise.

"Felix!" A grinning Felix and a proudly beaming Tara keep heading toward them, with Felix using his cane for support as he limps toward them. Sousuke and Kaname look toward Ron and, at the same time, ask, "Since when can he walk?"

Bonnie casually makes a show of buffing her nails and admiring them, replying, "Since about two and a half months ago. It took some intense therapy to get his leg muscles working again, since they had atrophied. He had a radically new surgical procedure done three months ago. That was why we left so abruptly after the wedding. In another month, he'll be walking without even so much as a limp."

Shaking the shock out of his head, Sousuke asks, "What kind of surgery, Ms Rockwaller?"

"Ever hear of Dr Julian Wilkes?" At their head-shakes of no, Bonnie shakes her head and smiles softly. "He devised a new surgical procedure. You see, he was in a wheelchair ever since a bullet messed up his spine. Well, some time back, he took some technology he had created and put it to medical use. It worked."

"I'm fairly well-versed in medical practices, but I've never heard of such an operation before. What kind of technology was involved?" His unspoken question is evident only to Kaname. 'Is it Black Technology?'

At that point, Felix had heard Sousuke's question and replies, "It's a little hard for me to understand as well, but from the description of it, what happened was this. The technology used melded into my spine and took place of several key points."

"Looking good, F-dawg!"

"Feeling good, Ron-man! And right back at you!" The two friends bump fists with each other and Felix grins, saying, "Besides, with the sexiest nurse in the world beside me, life doesn't get much better than this." The group can't help but chuckle at Tara's deep blush. Even Altobelli gets a good chuckle before something catches his eyes. Quietly leaving the group, he goes to investigate.

"Felix!" Tara can only giggle as she wraps her arms around him and kisses him. Softly, she whispers, "When I get you to the hotel, I'm going to have you pump me senseless as punishment."

"Won't be much of a punishment for me." To emphasize his point, Felix waggles his eyebrows, prompting Tara to go beet red.

"Felix! Stop, please! You're making me blush!"

Kaname's watch suddenly beeps, as does Sousuke's. "Sorry to cut this short, but we gotta get going for our honeymoon. What's our first stop, Sousuke?"

"The small village about two hundred miles away, Kaname. Nice, quiet, out of the way and away from the world's problems. Just you and I are to know where we're going. Of course, I did a little research ahead of time and found nothing unusual. Just a quiet, ordinary town. Then, we go to Okinawa before the Onken."

"Oh, that sounds good. Nakasumi-san, we'll give you our reply when we get back home. Thank you for the offer."

"It was my pleasure to meet you, Mr and Mrs Sagara." As Nakasumi and Miss Kyoko walk away, Sousuke sees Kurz coming toward Miss Kyoko and is suddenly treated to Miss Kyoko doing the most unusual thing.

She lightly touches Kurz's cheek and shakes her head 'no'. She then points toward Melissa, taking note of his shocked face and her own furious face. Just before Melissa comes stomping down to Sousuke and Kaname, grumbling and grousing all the way.

"The absolute nerve of that woman! I may not heard every single word she said, but I could read lips! She's saying that Kurz and I are meant for each other!" She then sighs and says, "In any case, here are the keys to your rental car, guys."

"Rental car? Sousuke, what does she mean by that?"

"We may be about to go on our honeymoon, but there's no sense in taking chances. I'm not going to let some nut ruin our honeymoon, Kaname. I take it the usual refinements are in place, Melissa?"

"You got it, Sousuke. Chain guns, ADF pod, grenade launchers and chaff. You have access to fourteen different tactical weapons launched from the pod and three different kinds of grenades from the launchers." Melissa catches onto Kaname's pale face and nervous chuckling. "Is something wrong, Kaname?"

"Melissa, somehow I don't think I like the word 'fourteen'. I think the chain guns would be plenty, given their rate of fire. The ADF pod and chaff, they might be just a tad much. Grenade launchers? Definitely too much."

"Ah, you've been reading up, Kaname?"

"Uh-huh. Just like Sousuke, only not as extensive. But I'm getting there." Looking over, she sees a black car, with Tessa and Altobelli standing beside it. "I gather that's the car right there. It sure is a real beauty."

"Uh-huh. Base model is a late model Toyota Celica, but Mithril made some 'customizations' on it to ensure you both don't have any major problems. Their designs were courtesy of an artist when it comes to mobile weapons platforms."

"Let's hope we don't have any. I'd like to meet and thank the artist. Hey, who's that with Tessa and Altobelli?" Kaname catches sight of a woman standing with Tessa and Altobelli, admiring the car.

Sousuke replies, "I'm not sure, Kaname. But I saw her in the background. She looks kind of familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Quite perplexing to be certain." With that, the couple walk up, with Melissa right behind them. As they pass a still-stunned Kurz, Melissa grabs his ear and twists. Sharply.

"Ow, Melissa!" As Melissa tugs the lanky sniper behind her, he gripes. "Let go of my ear, will ya? It's starting to hurt really bad! Let me go, please! Melissa!"

"Shut up, idiot. Sousuke and Kaname are about to leave and you're standing around, looking like a rag-bag." Snickering softly, she adds, "Besides, consider this a fair warning if you're to think of ever following through on Miss Kyoko's suggestion. Only next time, it'll be something you're quite fond of." Giving him another tug for good measure, she laughs wickedly. Just like when Tessa had challenged her to the AS match in the past.

"Melissa!"

Once they get to the car, Sousuke and Kaname are greeted by the petite Captain and retired L.A.P.D. Commissioner. "How's it going, Lt and Mrs Sagara? I was just showing Mr Altobelli your rental car."

"It's going well, Madam Captain. It's nice to see you again, Mr Altobelli." Kaname nods in agreement as she looks over the car.

"Likewise, Lieutenant. When the others told me you'd be graduating, I felt a suddenly deep desire to come along and see what you'd do. I gotta tell you this much. You've got a unique style that no one would dare or even dream of copying."

"I see your point. Oh well. As long as no one gets hurt or killed, it's not a problem."

As she looks over the car, Kaname remarks, "This is very nice, Tessa. Oh, who's your friend?"

"Mrs Sagara, meet Ellen Moore. Ellen, this is Kaname Sagara." As the two women shake hands, they both get a jolt. "Ellen, I'm sure you know her husband already."

Ellen nods and replies, "I do, ma'am. It's nice to see you again, Lt Sagara."

"Again? Sousuke!"

"Kaname, I've never even met this woman before. She may look familiar, but there'd have to be a reason."

"That's because I wasn't always Ellen Moore. Think back a ways. Remember the Tracy abduction and rescue?"

"Ms Transom?" At Ellen's nod and even smile, Sousuke can't help but chuckle. "No wonder you looked slightly familiar. They did a good job on you."

Sure enough, Mithril's contacts in the dentistry and optometry world did a wonderful job, for her buck-teeth are no more. Gone as well are her glasses, her eyesight having been corrected by laser surgery. They also eliminated her once prominent freckles and straightened her hair.

"Yes, they did. I still can't get over the fact you blew Mullion's balls off with a concussion grenade. On the Hood's sub no less." Looking over at Kaname, 'Ellen' smiles softly and says, "Your husband is a brave man, Mrs Sagara. It was a pleasure helping him rescue the Tracy couples."

"But, how? And what's with that jolt? The only thing possible would have to be..." Her eyes suddenly bolt open in shock. "You're a 'Whispered'?" At her nod, Kaname's face softens. "Not exactly a picnic, is it?"

"No, it sure isn't, Mrs Sagara. Ever since my operation, I'd been staying in a Mithril safe house, with a small group of Agents from Intelligence around me. In a way, I envy you."

"How's that?"

"You knew right away you were 'Whispered'. It took me half my life to find out. It's a wonder I didn't blow my brains out, just so I could stop those voices."

"Well, I didn't find out until the incident in Khanka and Sousuke rescued me from that nut-case quack Doctor mad scientist wanna-be." Smiling fondly at Sousuke, she adds, "He may be a handful, but he's very good to me." Looking over the car again, she asks, "So, where're the weapons?"

Tessa smiles and replies, "The chain guns are in the rear fenders. ADF pod is in the roof. The chaff dispensers are in the pillars for the spoiler and are launched from the top of it. The grenade launchers are right behind the headlights. They're all accessed from behind the driver's seat. The car is bulletproof to the point it can take two direct hits from a cruise missile before destruction."

Kaname lets out an impressed whistle and says, "That's a strong car, Tessa. So, what? The passenger leans the seat back to get into the back?"

"Nope. The back seat folds up into itself and the passenger seat moves to behind the driver's seat. Whoever is sitting back there has full control and responsibility for selecting the weapons on board. The driver just calls for them." Opening the door and sliding the seat back after folding the back seat, she continues. With Sousuke and Kaname leaning in to examine it.

"In the back of the driver's seat, we've implanted a computerized control system. Fully-programmed with radar, heat sensing and other programs. The arm rest/storage at the right side behind the driver's seat has the weapon selection buttons embedded into it, with the arm rest cover concealing it." Pausing to see if either had questions and to breathe, she finds none and goes on.

"In the dashboard's mid-console is your communications link. Audio and visual capability. It'll also allow you to read texts on briefs should we require your aid during your honeymoon. Hopefully, nothing will disturb it, as myself and Lt Commander Kalinin are the only ones with the frequency. The car is also turbo-charged thanks to one small turbine mounted on either side of the engine. Roughly, it can go up to nearly 400 mph."

Bringing the seat back forward, she exits the car and softly smirks. "In short, it's a nearly-half Mach-capable car that can kick butt."

"What about firing the weapons?" Getting a semi-wicked grin, Sousuke adds, "It'd be the perfect thing for unwinding after a day at the office."

"The driver does the firing, Lt." Tessa's cheerful smile quickly becomes a scowl. "Just remember that you're going on a honeymoon, not a destructive rampage. Same thing with 'office work'. These are just to smooth out any obstructions you may come across. Just like the Arbalest, this vehicle is an experimental type, only without the Lambda Driver. If you're going to use the weapons, please be sure to use the ECS or be in an isolated area."

"Roger." Nodding at the car, he adds, "If anything, it could use a good shakedown drive. Does it have a name?"

"No, not yet. I thought I'd leave it to you and Kaname."

"Roger."

"Don't forget the luggage, Sousuke." Kaname manages to hide a seductive smirk from him as he turns her way. Chancing a Resonance, she thinks, 'He won't know what hit him, Tessa!' Upon seeing Tessa blush, she sends her one that has both ladies going beet red.

"I won't, Kaname." With that, he heads for the van and starts bringing over the luggage. 'Why do women always have to have so much luggage? We're only going for two months. Kaname seems to have packed for a year or two! Heck, she didn't even pack this heavy the first time she went on a trip with me alone. Then again, we weren't exactly together then.'

Suddenly, one of the bags bursts open, revealing the reason why. 'That's lingerie! Oh dear, not good. I think I know what she has in mind. Good thing there's a clinic in that town so Kaname can pick up her meds, since she wants to wait a few years before we try for another baby.'

Quickly gathering up Kaname's unmentionables, he throws them back into the bag and closes it back up. Little does he realize that Kaname had seen the bag come open and is smirking seductively. While Tessa's face is beet red from seeing all that racily intimate apparel.

'Mrs Sagara, are you trying to get pregnant again?'

'No, Tessa. At least not just yet. I think I'll wait a few years before letting myself get knocked up again, and give Sousuke Jr a baby sister or brother.'

'I'll hope he'll get himself a baby sister to watch over. Just like Lt Sagara watches over you.' As they watch Sousuke load the luggage into the car, Tessa mentally adds, 'He may be a pretty strange guy, but he does good work.'

'Oh yeah. Very strange and oh so good.' The two young women laugh as Sousuke and Altobelli shake hands and Altobelli gives Sousuke a bit of advice.

"Don't bite off more than you can chew, Lt. I've seen a lot of good men die when they do exactly that. If it gets too hot, fall back and call for help."

"Understood, Mr Altobelli." When he sees Ron and Kim walking up, with the others in tow, he gives them a sad smile. "It's a shame we won't be able to work together again, Team Hawk. You being decommissioned and all, I mean."

"Hey, we'll still be friends, Sousuke. Just try not to be a stranger and pop in on us from time to time." Bonnie wraps him in her arms and softly adds, "Besides, we may be decommissioned, but we're not exactly going to be idle either. We'll check on the vehicles periodically. Be sure they're up to code and all that jazz. It's too bad about ComCen, though."

Concerned, Kaname asks, "What happened, Bonnie?"

"Some loser jokers in a van was throwing Molotov cocktails into various warehouses, one building, once every night. One evening, they nailed ComCen. While we were flying back from DC, believe it or not. As it stands, the fuel in the motors is strictly limited to what's in the tanks. So, there you have it."

Kaname clenches her fist and snarls, "Those bakas will incur the wrath of God! You hear me, you bakas? You'll incur the wrath of God!"

Grinning maliciously, Ron replies, "When the time comes, God's gonna sit this one out. He'll just bring out a folding chair, sit back and marinate as those bakas, as you so eloquently put it, get what's coming to them. Police have them in custody, given there was a unit nearby there when the place blew up. I guess it's somewhat fortunate. The blaze was so intense due to the fuel, it wiped out all traces of our having used it."

"I guess we can look at it like that. By the way, what do you think of the car?"

"Ooh, shiny!" Feeling Kim's arm around his, he smirks and adds, "I bet you'll be having fun with this one. Badical!"

Curiously, Kaname looks at their faces, sensing something amiss. "You know, it's kinda strange that Norman isn't here with you guys right now. I mean, chain guns and an ADF pod, along with chaff and grenades, that sounds like something Norman Tuttle would dream up. This car just seems to have 'Norman Tuttle' screaming right from it." Sousuke nods in agreement, given his penchant for concealable weapon systems.

"I don't know, Kaname. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. Oh, here comes your Father and sister." Turning to greet them, Ron says, "How's it going, Mr C?"

"It's going fine, Ronald. I never expected my son-in-law would invite you and your friends to his graduation, let alone his wedding to my eldest daughter."

"Well, you know the old saying. 'We otakus gotta stick together'."

"Strange, I never heard of that before."

Snickering, Bonnie replies, "That's because he just made it up on the spot!" Shunya blinks before starting to chuckle and then laughing.

"That's a good one, Ronald. A very, very good one." Catching sight of Altobelli, Shunya then says, "Nice to see you again, Mr Altobelli."

"Likewise, Mr Chidori."

"It's strange that we meet again, considering you hardly know my family and son-in-law."

"Let's just say that word spreads fast in my old line of work. I like to be kept up to date on people I come across. Just like this bunch here." Hiking a thumb over to the group, he grins and adds, "When I met Ron, Kim, Bonnie, Hirotaka and Jessica, my life's gotten a lot more interesting."

"I see." Looking around, Shunya asks, "Any of you seen Waldo? With all the unexpected meetings I've had, I was sure he'd pop up as well."

"Waldo? You mean that guy with the glasses and red and white winter hat? The one that you're supposed to find?"

"The very same, Miss Mach."

"I haven't seen him yet. But, the day's still young." Jessica shrugs and smiles, asking, "Have you met my boyfriend, Stuart Argyle?" Turning to see her beau, she's stunned to his face go pale. "Stuart? You okay?"

"I don't think I've had the pleasure of doing so, Miss Mach." Catching sight of Sousuke's stunned expression, he grins. "But I think my son-in-law knows him. Quite well, in fact."

"Affirmative, sir. Lt Argyle serves on the TDD-1's crew on the bridge. It's a big surprise the Lt has found happiness as well, sir. Of course, I was surprised as well, sir. But, like the saying goes, stuff happens." Looking at Stuart, he gives the Lt a smile and says, "Congratulations, Lt Argyle."

"Thanks, Lt Sagara." Stuart's face loses it's pallor and he smiles as well. "I originally came with Captain Testarossa and the others. But, when I saw Jessica here, I got permission from the Captain to go to her side. Needless to say, when she saw me, she laid a big kiss on me."

"You're right, Sousuke. Stuff does happen. No matter where you go, it'll always happen." Turning back toward Jessica and the others, he softly asks, "Are you all here on Team Hawk business?"

"Nope. Fact of the matter is, we're shut down, Mr Chidori. We completed our objectives and are going to live our lives in happy obscurity. Well, relatively happy, anyway." At Shunya's dropped jaw expression, Kim nods and adds, "That's right. No more adventures for us. Just as well, anyway. The Sho-Da-Kah's been defeated. Maybe they'll take the hint this time around."

"But, won't you miss it? I mean, you've all done good work around the world. Especially when you worked with my daughter and son-in-law to rescue his cousin."

"Of course we'll miss it, Mr Chidori. It's just that, with no one left to fight against, there's not much need for us. All that are left are the petty crooks that Ron came up against at times. After a while, it does get kinda boring. I mean, those guys are way too easy to take down."

Shunya nods at Bonnie's words before blinking upon seeing her husband. "Hirotaka? Hirotaka Yamanatoka?"

"Yes, Mr Chidori. However, I go by Rockwaller nowadays."

Smiling proudly as he looks him up and down, he says, "I didn't even recognize you when you were here three months before. You've certainly grown, my boy. I imagine that Yori is a beautiful lotus blossom by now." Noticing their downcast looks, he asks, "Did something happen to 'Blossom'?"

When Hirotaka tells him, Shunya is beside himself with stunned disbelief. "Did she suffer?"

"No, not for very long, Mr Chidori. Her death came relatively quickly." Kim wipes her eyes as she remembers Yori's death and tells Shunya about it.

_(Flashback)_

"_Possible-san, I am shocked that you had seen Stoppable-san's greatness as well."_

"_It's no big surprise to me, Yori. I already knew what kind of person Ron was. Kind, sweet, funny. Granted, he had his moments where he'd be brave and others when he'd be disheartened. But, he never let it get him down. I couldn't have saved the world without him. Then Mankey blew our mission. All because he couldn't stand the thought of me being happy with Ron."_

"_I see, Possible-san. I guess I'm out of the running for his affections, then."_

_Her eyes wide, Kim slyly grinned, asking, "You mean you're crushing on Ron, too?" Smiling when Yori smiled, Kim asked, "Are you fantasizing about him at times?" Upon seeing her blush, Kim gasped and tittered until Yori had gotten her blush under control._

"_Hai, I am. I..." Yori's voice trailed off as she started seizing and her monitor started beeping rapidly. Keeping a calm head, despite being freaked out by what was happening, Kim quickly picked up the paging unit._

"_Code Blue! Code Blue! Room 321!" Kim dropped the page unit and held onto Yori's hands. "Hang in there, Yori! Hang in there! We're not done with our girl talk yet! Yori!" Yori's spasms got so out of control, she alternately squeezed and released Kim's hands before finally going limp, her monitor beeping wildly. "Yori, no!"_

_As the Doctors got into the room and went to work, Kim backed away, in shock, with Rufus on her shoulder in stunned disbelief. When Yori started flat-lining, the Doctors began preparations to shock her back._

"_Give me 30ccs of Atropine. Give me three hundred on the paddles." _

_A Nurse injected the chemical, saying, "Atropine in. No response. Recommend a shock on a flat-line before quitting."_

_Once the paddles were charged, the Doctor yelled, "Clear!" Watching Yori's body convulse with the electricity, Kim couldn't help but start shedding tears. What really got her going was the Nurse's next words._

"_No response. Charge again."_

"_Let's shock one more time before quitting. Give me four hundred." Upon the shock, still no response. Only sound within the room is the monitor's solid tone. Kim's eyes were so badly filled with tears, she started sobbing._

"_It's no use. The infection had spread too far ahead of us to get and slowly killed her. I'm calling it. Time of death, 1636 hours." Noticing Yori's eyes were still open, in a fixed stare, the Doctor gently brushed them closed before pulling the sheet over her face. "I hate it when they go so damn young."_

"_No, you can't just give up on her! Ron didn't when she needed him most! Just like she never gave up on him when he was doing badly! We can't just give up on her!" Kim then started sobbing uncontrollably, prompting the Doctor to gently guide her out of the room and into a seat on the floor._

"_I'm sorry, Miss Possible. But even the best Medical technology can't reverse death from bad infections like Yori had." As the disconsolate redhead wept, the Doctor added, "If it's any consolation, she's not hurting anymore. She fought valiantly, but lost in the end. She's at peace now." As he reached to touch her shoulder, she mumbled. "Miss Possible?"_

_Sobbing and sniffling, Kim replied, "I said don't try to coddle me. Please. I just want to wait until my friend returns with Street Hawk."_

"_Very well, Miss Possible. Would you prefer to handle the arrangements for the funeral or do you want the Hospital to handle it?"_

"_I'll have to get back to you on that, Doctor." The Doctor nodded and started walking away. "Doctor?"_

_Turning back toward her, the Doctor asked, "Yes, Miss Possible?"_

"_I'm sorry I blew my fuse. It's just that.."_

"_I know, Miss Possible. I've seen quite a few deaths in my time. Every time I lose a patient, I at least take solace in the fact that they're at peace and not hurting anymore. It's the really young ones I can't stand losing at all." With that, the Doctor walked away, leaving Kim and Rufus to their tears._

"A couple of minutes afterward, Ron and Bonnie came back up and I told them that Yori died. That was the start of our first mission together in three months since Ron was injured and became Street Hawk."

"I see. Did you get the parties responsible for 'Blossom's death?"

Nodding, Ron replies, "As your son-in-law would say, affirmative. All three were judged and found guilty on site. We then executed two of them when one of them claimed they'd expose me being Street Hawk to the world. The third one was already dead, having been run through by a sword. They simply had to go."

"A job well done. Thank you, Ronald and Kimberly, for avenging one of my eldest daughter's oldest friends."

In unison, they reply, "No big."

"Hey, did we miss anything? How's it going, Princess?" Turning around, Kim sees Sheila walking up, holding Alexandra in her arms, with James right beside her.

"Hey Sheila. Not very much. Just talking with Kaname's Father." Nodding to Shunya, Kim adds, "Sheila Murphy, this is Shunya Chidori. Shunya, this is one of my former foes and most formidable opponent, Sheila. She's also a friend of ours now."

"How's it going, Mr C?"

"It's going quite well, Sheila. I saw you looked familiar, but we'd never been formally introduced. And who is this little one here?" Smiling as he teases the year old toddler, Shunya starts babbling.

"This is Alexandra Kimberly Murphy. She's named after two of the most important people in my life. Her grandfather and Princess here."

"How can she have been one of your foes if you're friends now?"

"Well, how should I put this?" Lighting up her hands after handing the child to James, she asks, "Does the name Shego ring a bell?" At Shunya's wide eyes, Sheila snickers and powers down. "I see it does."

"You've caused quite a few bits of trouble, young lady. I'm shocked you're not in irons right now."

"Nah. Been there, done that. Next." Her face going soft, she adds, "Besides, I'm a lot happier, being on the right side of the law and away from my brothers. I tell you, they drove me crazy. So much to the point I decided to walk on the wrong side of the law. Yeah, sure, it was fun. I got to meet and fight against Kimmie here on a routine basis."

"What about Ronald? Did he do much of anything?"

"Other than crack jokes and lose his pants half, no make that all the time, not really. Then again, I think Kimmie may have wanted to see Ronnie here lose his britches all the time. See what boxers he was wearing, or if any."

"Sheila!" Kim's face is bright red while Sheila laughs heartily. "Don't make me tell James what Drakken made us wear when we were mind-controlled. Let alone his childhood memories."

"Oh, he already knows, Kimmie. After all, dodge-ball and dodos? Those words will forever haunt me. Just like that pink apron he had me wear." Looking around, she then asks, "Where are your kids at, anyway?"

"They're with Ron's parents in Middleton. Our next stop is London so Ron can cook for Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward."

"You guys know Penny?" At their glances, Sheila snorts and says, "You guys are so lucky. Penny was once in Go-City on exchange one time. We hit it off as friends. In fact, we haven't talked in a while. Not since I left Team Go. It may be time to reestablish a rapport. Wait a minute. Did you say Ron's cooking for Penny?"

"Yep, that I did, Sheila."

"Well, then I can safely tell you one thing. That meal is going to be something she'll never forget." Seeing Sousuke, she grins and adds, "I take it you haven't tried Ron's cooking yet."

"Affirmative. I still have yet to try his cooking. From what Mrs Stoppable tells me, he's a culinary wizard. Much like Kaname is when it comes to her cooking."

"Sousuke, please, you're making me blush!" Her face beet red, Kaname wraps her arms around Sousuke and plants a massive kiss on his lips. Resulting in a blush from him as well. Looking around, she doesn't see Felix or Tara nearby. "Where'd Felix and Tara go?"

"Back to the hotel. Tara's wanting to 'punish' Felix for making her blush. Oh, hello Robocop."

"Hello, Kim. Diana sends her regards. She also said for me to send her thanks for naming one of your daughters after her."

"Oh, it's no big. The world lost a Diana a long time ago. Ron and I figured it was high time it got another Diana."

"She appreciates the gesture."

"Thinking of, where is Diana at?"

"Back in Detroit, at James' company. Also, Lt Sagara."

"Sir."

"You'll be surprised to know that your cousin and Officer Davis have eloped. It's possible that they could be heading here to surprise you with the news."

"Eloped? Oh, that's so romantic, Commander." Snickering, Kaname adds, "I thought about eloping with Sousuke, but felt it wouldn't be right without my friends and family there as well. So, we got hitched in the Hospital Chapel."

"Congratulations, Mrs Sagara. Where is your son at?"

"Oh, a friend of ours is going to be looking after him while we're on our honeymoon. I wish you could have met Kyoko. Next to Sousuke, she's one of my dearest friends."

"Perhaps another time. Lt, would you care to have another shooting competition before departing?"

"I would if I could, sir. But we're losing minutes rapidly, sir."

"Nonsense, Sousuke. We've still got some daylight. You can use the area you did the training in. It's out of the way and away from the population in general."

"Roger. Shall we, Commander Murphy?"

"We shall, Lt Sagara. Lead on, please."

"Roger. Kaname, could you open the trunk please? I need to get my Steyr SPP out for the competition."

"You got it, Sousuke." Once Sousuke gets the gun out of his weapons bag, Kaname then says, "Make it quick, Sousuke. Like you said, we're losing minutes."

"Roger."

With that, the two men walk steadily toward the training ground, unaware of the group following them. Sousuke and Kaname's classmates, friends and family, along with Ron and the others. Needless to say, one had never smelled so much cordite or gunpowder in a day. Altogether, three hundred rounds were expended. In the end, Sousuke won, for he had the home field advantage.

Grinning, the cyborg turns to Sousuke and says, "Now we're even. I beat you and you beat me."

"Affirmative. It was a pleasure shooting with you again." Robocop gives the young man a nod and grins, shaking hands. Next thing they know, they hear cheers behind them.

An hour later after getting acquainted with the car, doing some shooting with Robocop and saying their good-byes to their friends, Sousuke and Kaname are on the road, heading for their first stop on their honeymoon trip. What'll happen next is another story for another time.


End file.
